The failure replacement
by the-means-of-procrastinating
Summary: Alex Rider grew too old (all of 17) so MI6 had to find a replacement, but Chris Butler is no where near as successful, one mistake results in Alex being kidnapped and when eventually when they are freed Alex is assigned as a guardian and K unit are also there for protection. Alex Rider, K unit and a backchatting teen under one roof. What could go right!
1. Blackmailed Again

**OK, I hope you enjoy, I know this is a popular story line but *shrug* I thought I would do my own spin. Enjoy (I hope)**

**Also consider this story disclaimed. If I was Anthony Horowitz Yassen Gregorovich would still most definitely be ALIVE!**

**Warning: Only I have read this through, any issues with grammar or spelling or if I am talking complete nonsense. Any willing beta is welcome.**

* * *

A blonde boy lay still in his cell in Northern Russia, he was barely breathing and every inch of him was covered in some wound of some form. His breath came in short gasps as he took stock of his situation. Whenever he breathed in there was six sharp jolts of pain indicating broken ribs, the cuts on his back were deep but treated so they wouldn't go septic, the only imminent dangers were that one of his ribs would puncture a lung or that one day his captors would go too far and kill him.

There was a groan from the neighbouring cell,

"My neck kills." The boy heard a mutter, he rolled his eyes and found that aggravated his headache even more,

"It is also really, really cold, at least you got some sleep Wolf." Came a scornful reply, "Kid here didn't from the amount he wriggled."

The boy knew who three of the five in the other cell were, there was Wolf, Eagle and Snake who were in the SAS, k unit, the fourth was their fourth member, Cheetah whom Alex had completed SAS selection with, and the fifth was a teenager, the boy couldn't be sure if his code name was Kid, for a baby goat, or that was a fond nickname. The blonde boy knew that k unit loved their nicknames, having spent two weeks in hell as double 0 nothing.

The blonde boy to the SAS team was Cub, to everyone else he was Alex Rider, to MI6 he was Agent Rider, to his school he was druggie Rider. Not that the other cell knew that. They didn't know who he was. Alex Rider had no intention of them finding out either.

"You think he is awake?" Alex heard Cheetah whisper,

"You think he is alive?" Wolf replied bluntly.

"I hope so." Kid whispered,

"Hey its OK Robin." Alex heard shuffling and guessed the teen was being hugged, Alex resisted the urge to snort at the thought, they hadn't shown him any kindness when he was with them, he distracted himself from the pain with the knowledge that the teens name was not Kid but Robin. Robin was the main reason Alex had not given up on life long ago. They had both been told that when Alex died Robin would be next.

* * *

Ben Daniels paced his office in the house in Chelsea he shared with Alex Rider, he had just returned from a mission to find that his best friend and adoptive brother was still missing. Now the incompetence of the newbie teen had not only gotten Alex into trouble but the newbie and K unit as well. Ben cursed and went over the facts in his head again.

Seven months ago Ben and Alex had gone on a mission together to follow and make sure the new teen was good at what he did. The teen, Chris Butler, had made a huge mistake and Alex had stepped him without Ben's knowledge and saved him, Ben had been under the impression Alex was still safe and followed his orders to keep Chris safe. Alex never came back to the meeting point.

A week ago Chris had been on another mission with K unit. He had screwed up royally resulting in them all being drugged and kidnapped, supposedly by the same people who had Alex. Jones wasn't letting Ben search for him thinking it would be improper as he was emotionally involved. Ben had cursed her at that. A teenager was being tortured by one of the lead criminal organisations, Zeke, and he wasn't supposed to be emotionally involved.

That had resulted in Ben going on a simple bodyguard mission to Mexico. Ben had been shot and had spent time in hospital then with the SAS on a refreshers course. K unit had left and Ben had been sent on another mission, the one he had just returned from. His phone rang and he jumped.

"Daniels." His voice was curt.

"_Fox, I have news on Cub." _His old commanding officers voice came over the phone, Ben gripped it tightly.

"What is it sir?" Ben demanded his training not letting him forget respect on his superiors despite his urgency for information.

"_We think we have found him, L, J, C, G,and I are going to get him, you can come as an MI6 liaison, it was the best I could do."_

"Thank you sir, where shall we meet?" Ben asked, he hung up after finding out that Alex was probably in Russia and he was to be at the airport in three hours. Ben grabbed some stuff for himself and, optimistically, Alex. Then he was out the door.

"We're coming Alex, hang in there."

* * *

The SAS stormed the place after their cover had been blown and had searched the place from head to toe, inside they found thirty seven Zeke agents, four SAS men, one teen and one Alex Rider. The SAS and Chris had been rushed out of there as the medics saw to Alex. Ben's fingers turned white as Alex flat-lined, when he looked later he would find eight perfect semi circle bruises on his palms from his nails.

Thirty two hours later Ben was walking the halls of St Dominic's sighing to himself, Alex had woken a few hours ago and after the reunion was over Ben couldn't help but notice the new darkness in his eyes.

"Fox?" Snake's surprised voice pulled him out of his daydream,

"Hey, I heard you were in here." Ben grinned and clapped him on the back,

"I saw you in the rescue party, come in and talk." Snake led Ben to a four bed room with the other SAS agents in,

"Look who I saw wondering in a trance." Snake announced,

"Hey!" Eagle grinned at their old unit member,

"Did the other make it? The man in the other cell, did he survive?" Cheetah's voice was low and quiet,

"No." Ben's voice matched his tone. The story was that Alex Rider was dead, or to the SAS men the boy in the other cell was dead. For once Ben didn't mind lying to his unit, as long as it kept Alex safe.

"Why were you there?" Wolf asked,

"I heard you were snatched, Sanders asked, I agreed, I get on a plane and I end up busting you from captivity." Ben shrugged telling the truth, mainly.

"Who was he?" Cheetah asked still on the other man,

"Classified I'm afraid." His phone rang and he saw Smithers on the other end, "I need to go."

"Wait, did you know him?" Eagle blurted unable to contain himself. Ben nodded once then left the room.

"Shit." Snake muttered,

"Do you think Ryan will have enough clearance to get the file?" Cheetah asked contemplative,

"I can ask." Ryan said from the corner, "I heard the end of the conversation but never saw the speaker, who was he?"

"Fox, an old unit member, he was seconded nearly three years ago now." Eagle replied lounging back on his bed.

"How you faring Robin?" Snake asked looking the young teen over for injuries,

"I'm fine." He insisted but the medic didn't stop checking,

"You were almost assassinated by The Jonas Hue." Snake reminded him,

"Ah Chris, there you are." Jones' assistant walked through the doors, he was in his late twenties and black with close cropped black hair. He was known for his heartlessness in telling people things, yet he seemed to have a soft spot for Chris.

"Juniper." Chris nodded to him. The man's name was Harold Juniper and was also a snob from Oxford,

"We have come to say that you are free for a month but will be put in protective custody until the assassins after you have been caught." Juniper informed them,

"Who's?" Wolf demanded,

"For the moment MI6's top spy, not that he is aware as of yet, but he will agree, Jones has assured me of it." Juniper seemed to frown slightly,

"Oh he will will he." Ben's flat voice commented, he held two cups of coffee, "Then I had better go and inform him and tell him of his unwavering loyalty to anything you say." K unit winced at the malice and hatred in his voice, they hadn't seen this side of Ben, the fiercely protective side.

"Juniper." Chris' voice broke the tension between the two as Ben stormed off anger rolling off him in waves. "Can I have the other agents file?"

"What other agent?" Juniper asked,

"The one in the neighbouring cell to us, Fox said it was classified do any of us have a high enough clearance?" Cheetah explained, Juniper flicked through the files in his hands,

"No, not even I do. It's all censored." He showed them a page covered in thick black lines then his shock letting more through than normal. He then left leaving the room in shock.

* * *

"So, Agent Rider, will you take care of Chris?" Jones asked,

"Well I didn't have much choice in the matter it would seem." Alex replied his voice curt, he had been told he was to be discharged tomorrow so Jones had called in on him on her way home.

"You don't have to, we are truly sorry for what you went through, it is only been a week since you woke after surgery..." Jones trailed off, "We don't want to ask this of you, but you will have to be off active duty for a while, you wouldn't appreciate desk duty and after the assassination attempt and Hue not yet found... We don't trust anyone."

"What will happen if I don't?" Alex asked quietly,

"We will have to send him to a children's home until you either change your mind or someone adopts him." Jones replied looking down,

"Which one." Alex's voice was flat,

"Rutherford." Jones named the single worst children's home in London, it was a place where someone was knifed by another member at least once a week and the carers didn't last long. Alex recognised blackmail when he saw it, he was used to it coming out of her mouth.

"I'll do it I'll take him." Alex sighed rubbing his eyes and wincing as he moved, Jones noticed this and paused,

"Alex, I am truly sorry, I can try and postpone it a week, make up a medical dilemma so you can have longer to recover." Jones offered,

"No, its fine, I'll go collect him with you in a minute, I need to change." Jones stepped outside as Alex changed, she hated the darkness in his eyes, the childlikeness long gone. The door opened on her thought, Alex was standing there in jeans, converse and a zip up hoodie, he looked almost like a normal teenager. Almost.

"After you." Alex gestured that she led the way, all too soon they were outside a door, Jones opened it and saw the room full of five people,

"Chris, K unit." She nodded to them,

"Ma'am." Wolf nodded back,

"This is Agent Rider, he will be your guardian until everything is sorted." Jones left the room,

"Chris, I'm Alex." Alex took in the boy properly for the first time, he looked old for his 15 years, just over a year younger than Alex, he had brown hair that was messed up and a haughty arrogant look on his face his brown eyes scornful.

"You are supposed to protect me from the assassins an entire SAS unit only just managed to protect me from." Chris snorted, "Great. Lucky me."

"Great, this'll be fun." Alex muttered under his breath in Russian. "Do you have your stuff? We can go via your old house to collect the rest of it." Alex went to pick up a bag,

"We can manage agent Rider." Wolf cut in scornfully.

"Fun times." Alex muttered under his breath, yet grateful that his injuries wouldn't be tested just yet. "Come on." He led the way out of the room to the car. He stopped at a sleek black BMW, Eagle whistled lowly,

"Nice." He breathed,

"Courtesy of 6." Alex said offhand, then cursed himself in his head, he should have said MI6, 6 was the SAS abbreviation. Cheetah looked at him eyes narrowed slightly confused.

"Have you trained with the SAS before?" He asked curious as to the abbreviation,

"Yep, a few years ago now." Alex didn't want to drop any more hints, "Can I drop you anywhere?" He offered reluctantly,

"We have our own cars." Wolf replied through gritted teeth, "We'll be staying next door to you at the safe house so any trouble with anything just shout." Wolf muttered something else to Chris as he said goodbye, Alex assumed it wasn't complementary. A few minutes later he pulled out of the car park away from k unit.

"So, where do you want to go for your stuff?" Alex asked,

"Richmond, 23 sensate lane, you know where that is hotshot?" Chris snapped,

"No need to bite my head off. Yep I do." Alex tried to keep his cool. "So what have you done for MI6?"

"This and that. Some harder than others, haven't you read my file? Clearance not high enough?" Chris scorned.

"It's your story to tell. I wouldn't want someone reading my file without permission." Alex replied smoothly parking, "Lets go." Alex slipped out of the car leaving a confused Chris behind,

"Come on kid." Alex tapped on his window,

"I'm coming, keep your hair on." Snarky Chris was back.

"Who's house is this?" Alex asked curious,

"Aunt's, she, her husband and four children are never home, they decreed it would be safer with you." Chris replied flatly throwing his clothes into his bag, a few minutes later he was done and they were back in the car.

* * *

"Home sweet home." Chris muttered sarcastically as Alex shut the door behind him, Snake was sitting at the top of the stairs,

"Wolf!" He called, Wolf appeared through a door behind bookcase on the second floor,

"Agent Rider. Any issues." Wolf asked curt.

"No. Other than an _overly_ talkative Chris." Alex headed into the kitchen and nosed around in the cupboards then sighed, no food, Ben had been on a missions for the past week,

"Come, I'll show you your room." Alex headed to the stairs fighting the ache in his body. At the top of the stairs he headed towards the bookcase concealing the doorway to the next house,

"This is you." Alex opened the only door on that side of the stairs. "I'm at the far end, there's nothing else interesting down there, trust me. There's an en suite bathroom and make yourself at home, just not at the other end of the corridor."

"Where's the food?" Chris asked dumping his stuff,

"In the shop. I'm going shopping, make yourself at home," He was out the door before anyone could stop him. He drove and called up a number on the car system.

"_Hey Alex! You better?!" _Tom's voice came through the system.

"Yeah, you at home?" Alex asked,

"_Yeah, you want company? Or someone to complain to. We can go shopping as I guess your house is pretty empty right now."_ Alex grinned, Tom read him so well.

"I want all of them, as long as it isn't Chris. See you in a few." Tom hung up. The phone rang again,

"_Alex." _Mrs Jones sighed.

"What?" This wasn't promising.

"_I had a complaint from Wolf."_ She stated, "_Apparently you left without saying where you were going or giving them a chance to agree."_

"Well, you can tell them I am a big boy and if their precious Chris wants any food I need to go shopping. I said that _then_ left, so technically I was in the right." Alex replied pulling up outside Toms house, he picked up his phone and left the car,

"_Alex, I had to give them your number. I'm sorry."_ Jones sounded apologetic, Alex knew better than to believe it.

"Fine." He saw Tom looking confused. As Alex walked into the house, then his expression cleared,

"Jones." He guessed, Alex nodded rolling his eyes. A few seconds later he hung up. Tom was herding him to the sofa,

"Sit. You look exhausted." Tom was worried, he hadn't been told what Alex had gone through but when he had visited him in hospital he had been in a bad way. "How are your bandages?" Tom was a prospective medic, he was reading all the books he could and was already pretty good, he had had a lot of practice patching up Alex,

"They're fine." Alex rested his head in his hand letting the pain overwhelm him for a second and the room spun. When he came to he was lying on the sofa flat on his back Tom rummaging around for medical supplies, Alex's phone rang, he knew who it would be.

"_WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU PICK UP RIDER! YOU DIDN'T SAY WHERE YOU WERE GOING, WHEN YOU WOULD BE BACK, OR GIVING US A CHANCE TO REPLY!" _Tom heard Wolf's rant from the other side of the room,

"I didn't pick up because I was talking to the bank, I told you I was going shopping as it must have slipped your notice that we humans need to eat and there is nothing in the house. I don't know how long I am going to be and your response would have only had thoughts for Chris, so I guess I am helping you as Chris obviously needs four SAS men to keep his precious being safe and I am out the way so you don't have me to deal with as well. If I'm not back in three hours, wait a little longer!" Alex hung up and threw his phone onto the sofa as Tom helped him pull his top off without wincing too much.

Without another word Tom set about changing his bandages. Talking about nothing in particular just distracting Alex from everything else,

"So hows Alice?" Alex teased watching his friend blush,

"She's fine. We went to our interviews in Cambridge yesterday, she's applying to Emmanuel and I to Pembroke but it won't be too far if it lasts." Tom replied, both were prospective medical students and applying to the same universities, Alex hadn't even thought about uni. He knew MI6 would not let him go. A few minutes later Tom finished off and stood.

"Right, now you can rant, I know you like to pace when you rant." Tom told him,

"Chris Butler. He's a kid 6 is using and I have to look after him. He is arrogant, snarky, believes in the protection and loyalty of k unit and _unbelievably_ full of himself..." The rant went on.

"K unit as well. Ouch." Tom sympathised, he knew Alex wouldn't place blame or annoyance where it wasn't due. That was what worried him about the situation. "When's Ben back?"

"Soon I hope." Alex ran a hand through his hair. "He was as pissed about this as I was when I found out. Blackmail, again. If I don't take him he goes to Rutherford. I can't do that to a teen, not even him." Alex picked up the keys and threw them to Tom,

"You can drive."

"I wasn't planning on letting you drive." Tom laughed, "Not in that state. They're not aware of what you went through? Of your injuries?" He asked disbelievingly, Alex shook his head and watched the scenery go past the window, "They know you are Cub right?" Again Alex shook his head, "God Al, you should have become an actor." He teased.

"Less dangerous." Alex commented drily,

"Well, screaming fan mobs can get dangerous..." Tom grinned,

"As you well know." Alex laughed wincing as he did so, "Thanks."

"No need to mention it."

* * *

**Please tell me if I should continue and where it should go, I have a vague idea but not 100% certain..**


	2. Bullets travel 1000 metres per second

**OK, due to the astounding reviews I received, I have decided to update quickly, don't expect it to ever happen this quickly again, but reviews make things happen... *hint hint***

* * *

"_It's all your fault Rider, they're all dead because of you, your parents, uncle, Jack," The man went on listing names whipping him each time he said a name, Alex winced as lines burned down his back, he vowed never to give them the satisfaction of him crying out. Eventually the man threw down the whip and pulled out a knife,_

"_Its. All. Your. Fault." He thrust the knife into Alex's back, just below his kidneys then puled it out and left the room leaving the teen tied up in the chains on the wall his feet unable to touch the ground._

* * *

Alex bolted up right heart pounding a light sheen of sweat coating his body, he switched the lights on and stumbled into the shower. Slowly the hot water pounded out most the stress in his body and calmed him down. Every time he slept he got a different nightmare, he re lived everything that had happened to him that was bad. Alex rubbed his wrists eyeing the still raw red rings where he had been bound. He didn't bother looking at the rest of his body and simply got out of the shower. He then headed upstairs to his study after re bandaging himself, there was a lot of paperwork to do.

He heard a thump then some curse words, he reached for his gun automatically then realised it was in the study on the third floor, where the intruder was. Alex slipped into the room as there was a smash, he recognised the form in the light from the moon, it was Chris. Alex groaned internally then watched the boy, he was rummaging through Ben's drawers trying to find files about Alex.

After ten minutes Chris spotted a figure in the doorway and grabbed a gun Alex knew to be Ben's spare one. He fired three times then dropped the gun, Alex had ducked but one had grazed his temple. All Chris saw before being grabbed by Cheetah who had run into the house was a pale Alex on the floor with blood slowly seeping out of his head,

"What happened?" Wolf demanded,

"Is he OK?" Chris blurted, "I didn't know it was him, he crept up on me, I didn't mean to!"

"He'll be fine kid, just a little concussed," Snake picked him up and carried him down into the SAS neighbouring house, there he lay the teen on the sofa and carefully tended to the scrape from the bullet.

"Why is he unconscious?" Eagle whispered,

"The bullet hit his temple." Snake replied applying butterfly stitches carefully,

"Lets take him back to his bed, maybe he won't remember." Chris suggested,

"Oh trust me, I remember perfectly." Alex said from the sofa, they all jumped, Alex sat up slowly wincing, "I am glad you're not a better shot." He commented wryly,

"You shouldn't have crept up on me." Chris shot back,

"I had been standing there for ages." Alex commented standing,

"No Rider, stay sitting." Snake ordered,

"I've had worse, trust me." Alex brushed off his concerns, "Go to sleep all of you."

"You OK Robin?" Wolf checked,

"Yeah, fine." Chris sighed, "I'm going to bed." He headed out the room.

"What the fuck is the time." Wolf growled,

"Four." Alex replied automatically his body clock working perfectly, "Go to bed." He headed to the door,

"Don't wake us up again Rider." Eagle added,

"Oh, so of course its my fault!" Alex exclaimed mockingly,

"Yes." Wolf growled, "Your ego and sense of self importance, you probably came from a posh, rich, stuck up family, don't forget you're not there now." Alex bit back a laugh.

"If I have ego and self importance, what does Chris have?" Alex retorted,

"Nothing. You scared the kid this morning Rider, the other day you did it as well and he got hurt. Stop doing it." Snake snapped, he was referring to the time three days ago, two and a half weeks after he had arrived, when Chris had walked into the kitchen and Alex had said 'good morning'. Chris had spilt scalding water all over his hands.

"He shouldn't have been in my study and its not my fault if he's unobservant." Alex replied flatly, Wolf grabbed his arm tight enough to leave a bruise. If only it wasn't a bruise already, he had to grab it right on the break. Due to this Alex couldn't pull out of his grip, he couldn't stop his face turning white from pain,

"That doesn't stop you from treating him with respect." Wolf snarled,

"Why are you so concerned about Chris? Aren't you here for protection against the assassin he recently annoyed, Jonas Hue?" Alex was confused,

"Chris has been through some fucked up stuff Rider. He has seen stuff you can only have nightmares about. We have worked with him before, he has witnessed stuff you wouldn't believe, torture amongst others and we _always_ protect our own. You may be MI6's shining star of an agent but all I am asking is that you treat the kid with some respect, he deserves that," Wolf tightened his grip and yanked Alex closer, he hit his lip to keep himself from crying out.

"Stop!" Cheetah exclaimed, Alex pressed a pressure point on Wolf's wrist while he was distracted and he let go, the relief was instantaneous, Alex turned on his heel fuming and stormed out of the house, back into his own,

"Christ Wolf, he is a child practically too mate." Cheetah scolded, "Did you see his face?"

"It was white, so he was angry, so what?" Wolf snarled,

"That wasn't white with anger, that was with pain. What did you do to him?" Cheetah asked,

"Grabbed his arm." Wolf shrugged,

"What has he done expertly for the past week and a half that we have been here?" Cheetah said slowly waiting for it to click.

"He avoids us like the plague, makes our lives living hell trying to keep him safe." Eagle commented,

"We can never lay a hand on him, he either avoids our grasp or slips out quickly, what does that mean?" Cheetah sighed, they were so slow sometimes, they still looked blank, "It means he couldn't, his face what white with pain because Wolf must have grabbed an old injury of something. He is in pain." Cheetah summarised,

"So what?" Wolf growled, "He is hurting Chris, you know we _always_ protect our own." Wolf stormed off, Eagle and Snake following at a slower pace, Cheetah sighed, protecting their own was hard when Alex fell into the protecting category. Cheetah stood and headed to the other house and found Alex in his study,

"Go away." Alex snapped, "Cheetah, go. Away." Alex repeated,

"Jaguar, I'm sorry." Cheetah watched the response, his body stiffened minutely, had he not been watching for a change he would have missed it. Damn this kid was good.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Alex muttered, "Go away, I'm busy."

"Jag, I know its you. You are good but I went through fucking selection with you. That leaves a mark. We were the only two in our group that made it, you may have changed in the three years since but puberty only changes someone so much." Cheetah snapped.

Alex remained silent but his hands stilled on the desk, Cheetah saw this as a weakness and exploited it,

"Just show me. Please." His voice was quiet, "If not show then tell me where you are hurt. I can see that you are, no use denying it." He crossed his arms and leant against the door frame,

"You sound like Eagle." Alex commented,

"Hey, I take offence at that." Cheetah exclaimed, Alex sighed then collapsed back into the chair,

"So?" Cheetah prompted perching on the side on the desk,

"Sprained wrist, that's all." Alex brushed off the severe break in his arm.

"Wolf wasn't grabbing your wrist." Cheetah commented, Alex remained silent. Cheetah realised he wasn't going to reveal any more. He glanced at the photos around the room, when he looked back he found Alex was gone. He sighed, this was going to be hard. On all of them.

* * *

"Morning Chris." Alex said cheerfully as the teen slouched into the kitchen clearly exhausted,

"What no snapping comment about last night?" Chris taunted,

"The pounding in my head is unfortunately ruling out any deep thought. Something to do with a bullet travelling 1000 metres per second across my temple." Alex poured his tea, he then paused, he looked back out the window out the corner of his eye, something glittered in the top floor of a high rise three streets over. It was recently built, new housing, large rooms they were good quality, the company that had been building them was taking the day off, it was a strike, everyone in London knew, no workers were working on construction today. Alex glanced at the oblivious boy pouring milk onto his cereal, he acted more on instinct than anything else, Alex threw himself on top of the boy as bullets smashed the window, as soon as there was a lull Alex was out the door and racing towards the construction site. He climbed over the fence and saw the tell tale flash of light in the reflection of the eyepiece.

The assassin smiled grimly to himself, he had got them. There would be a promotion in this, he was slowly standing up when figure appeared in the doorway. It was a teen, blonde hair hanging over his forehead. He knew the figure well. It was his target.

"No." The assassin breathed,

"Yeah. You missed." The teen grinned, then he was in motion. The assassin managed to bring the rifle bag around and prevent the blow but then the rifle was out the empty hole where the window was going to be, he pulled a knife, the boy didn't even hesitate, the assassin knew high level martial arts when he saw it. The knife slashed across Alex's torso leaving a line of fire across his hip, the blood slowly dripped onto the floor, the assassin grinned menacingly, then the world went black.

"...Thanks." The world slowly swam into focus and he saw the teen standing without a care in the world a few feet away, he silently sat up and stood, he was behind the teen who was still talking on the phone, the teen hung up and pocketed the phone at the same time spinning and catching the assassins leg with his foot, this wouldn't have done much had he not been standing in the pool of the teens blood, his feet went out from underneath him and he fell, his head landed on the floor with a thud and he was out cold. Alex crouched and checked the assassins pulse, it was still strong.

"Nice work agent." A voice said from the doorway, Alex turned and nodded at the four men in the doorway,

"He's all yours. If 6 manage to get anything out of him can you ask her to tell me?" Alex asked,

"Sure thing. Anything else?" The first man asked as the other three carried the assassin down the stairs,

"Nah, I'm good thanks."

"You don't need a lift anywhere? Hospital?" The man looked at the knife wound on Alex's hip,

"It's just a scratch, home's not far away, that was what the problem was." Alex sighed something troubling him.

"See you around kid." The man left, Alex sighed, he guessed he was still a kid. A kid who had just taken down a world renowned assassin...

"Yet a kid none the less." Alex sighed and headed out the room.

* * *

"YOU!" Wolf exclaimed as soon as he saw Alex,

"You're late!" Alex was yelled at as he walked through the door, Eagle was angry,

"I wasn't aware I had a curfew." Alex replied icily wincing as he walked, the adrenalin had worn off long ago and now he just ached.

"You aren't supposed to leave the house-" Wolf was cut off.

"You're injured." Snake went to take Alex to the kitchen but he shrugged him off,

"Its fine, I fell up the stairs trying to find the sniper." Alex's words were met with a slight pause then Chris laughed,

"You can't even climb a staircase without falling." He taunted not missing a chance to taunt the older boy,

"Yep. Its something I really struggle with." Alex replied, Cheetah grabbed his arm as he passed heading to the first aid box in the kitchen,

"You shouldn't be doing this with you injuries." His voice was low,

"Forgive me for taking it personally when a sniper shoots out my specially designed front window." Alex whispered back making a mental note to see Smithers.

"What are you two conspiring about?" Eagle queried,

"I was thanking him for saving Chris' life, an act you all seem to have forgotten because he ran after our target and fell up the stairs." Cheetah made it clear he didn't buy Alex's story, Alex opened the first aid box and grabbed what he needed then facing the wall so the others couldn't see patched himself up, the wound had cut across other scars and had underlined three perfectly straight deep cuts, Alex smiled grimly, Dr Three would take that as a compliment a new scar underlining his signature. Alex binned the old bandage that had covered the three lines then re bandaged it, he then grabbed a new plaster,

"I wasn't aware stairs could carry knives." Snake commented no malice in his tone now he was only a medic, no bias.

"This was a very advanced set of stairs, it had a Ph.D. in holding knives." Alex replied finishing his medical administrations,

"Let me check." Snake demanded,

"Its fine, just a scratch." Again Alex brushed past him and headed to the study. Snake watched him go worried.

"What?" Cheetah asked noting the expression.

"The injury on his wrist yesterday, fact he always wears long sleeves and flinches if he thinks no one is watching when he moves." The medic ran a hand through his hair, 'When he lifted his top he was black and blue with underlying scars." He sighed,

"Normally that wouldn't be anything but they were old bruises,"

"So what?" Wolf sneered 'He got in a fight."

"Yeah, a fight where every inch of his body is an injury of some sort? He knew how to bandage himself up well, he's had to do it a lot."

"'He' is still in the house and would appreciate if you stop this conversation. The window man's here." Alex said from the doorway, two men set about fixing the gaping hole in the wall which had been covered by curtains since it had smashed.

"That's a quick response." Cheetah commented,

"What's the point in having locks if there is no window." Alex commented wryly.

"No need for attitude!" Eagle snapped,

"I- I give up." Alex threw his hands up in the air and turned to leave, "I am going to Toms." Before anyone could stop him he was gone,

"Slippery little bastard." Snake muttered,

"Yeah, but he's a slippery bastard we need answers about. And we can't really touch until we do, you heard what Jones said when we called about the sniper." Cheetah sighed running hand wearily through his hair. They had been threatened that if Alex was in any way, shape or formed harmed due to their incompetence they would pay the price and be back in Brecon by the end of the day and pull no good jobs ever again. If Rider died, they would be automatically binned.

* * *

**Ideas people of fanfiction. Please!**


	3. But Tom, Sabina Pleasure is dead

**I can't believe I am updating already! It is due to the WONDERFUL reviewers I have had, please, please, keep it up.**

**I hope you enjoy, it's short but it's only a filler chapter really.**

* * *

"Alex my boy! I am so sorry about the window, I don't know how it happened!" Smithers led Alex over to a table with tea and biscuits laid out,

"Expecting someone?" Alex queried,

"Not really, just like to be prepared- No don't eat that one!" Smithers exclaimed as Alex reached for a piece of shortbread,

"Why?" Alex asked placing it carefully back on the plate,

'You'll be violently sick for about three hours." Smithers replied a mischievous grin on his face, 'Haven't tested it yet but it should be good." Alex warily reached for another biscuit,

'No! Not that one either!" Smithers exclaimed launching himself at the biscuit,

'Why, will it explode?" Alex asked resigning himself to no biscuits,

"No, its my favourite." Smithers took a bite, "Exploding biscuits, what a childish notion." He sighed shaking his head, but then took a piece of paper off the desk and started writing.

'Sorry, when an idea comes I have to write it down." Smithers apologised a few minutes later, Alex had taken the time to text Tom about vomiting biscuits,

'What's the idea?" Alex was curious,

"Exploding toilets, great in embassy's." The large man muttered blushing, Alex laughed amused, "Oh shush. Just eat a biscuit."

"Now, about that problem with the window, this way," Smithers led him to the desk then picked up his pen and slotted it into the holder and Alex gasped. The desk slid away and the floor where it was dropped away into steps.

"Short cut to my workshop, saves the walk." Smithers led him through a maze of corridors, they passed room after room but didn't go in, the mysterious banging noises that made Alex not want to go in despite his curiosity.

"This is the main planning room but I needed the space." Smithers opened the door to a room the size of a football pitch,

"A whole new world." Alex murmured,

"Well never been one for Aladdin myself, more of a lion king fan personally." Smithers bustled around finding his papers, Alex followed him, then paused at a diagram on the wall. He smirked,

"Smithers..." Alex called,

"Yes?"

"So, its a childish notion is it, exploding biscuits?" The diagram included chemical formula of chemicals that combusted when they came into contact with air. They were mainly for knocking people out.

"Alex my dear, dear boy. I never said a childish notion was a _bad_ thing." Smithers eyes twinkled. "Now, back to the matter at hand..."

* * *

"Chris!" Alex called as he stepped into the house hanging up his coat,

"What?" Three voices demanded,

"Wolf! Snake! I didn't know your names were Chris! What a coincidence!" Alex exclaimed mock surprised,

"What do you want with Robin Agent?" Wolf growled,

"He has a mission." Alex replied flatly making himself a drink,

"Face us when you talk about stuff like that agent. There could be lip readers outside the windows." Eagle snapped,

"Forgive me for facing a curtained window. I forgot the other side has x-ray goggles that can get through Smithers' glass and curtains. How silly of me." Alex replied without turning,

"Someone is lippy today." Chris announced gleefully, "Pissed its me getting a mission and not you?" Alex bit his lip.

_No pissed I have to stop my recovery leave to babysit you when you go on a simple reconnaissance mission._ He thought.

"He is!" Snake exclaimed misinterpreting the hesitation and biting of lip.

"So rich perfect mummy and daddy's boy is being passed over for a younger more worldly aware agent." Wolf taunted,

"Read the file, if the perfect more worldly aware boy can read? If his precious little fingers won't get paper cuts from the pages, maybe his babysitters can help him if he is struggling." Alex snapped, four out of the five on the other side of the room stood in defence, Cheetah eyed Alex worriedly, he usually wasn't this snappy, he didn't usually look that exhausted either.

"ALEX!" Tom burst in, the four SAS agents had their guns out and aimed at the doorway in seconds, they were good, Alex couldn't fault that, Tom ignored them and ran straight to Alex, "ALEX!" Tom gasped out,

"TOM!" Alex mimicked, laughing at his friend,

"ALEX!" A new voice exclaimed, Alice White, Tom's girlfriend, ran in, again ignoring the SAS agents,

"Alice! What?!" Alex exclaimed trying not to laugh,

"WE GOT IN!" They both exclaimed, "THEY BLOODY ACCEPTED US!" Tom added, Alex stood their in shock then laughed in delight,

"That's great!" Alex exclaimed hugging Alice and giving Tom a manly hug,

"I still can't believe it!" Tom grinned like a mad man,

"We are celebrating in the south of France over Christmas, you are of course invited." Alice blurted out still bouncing in delight,

"South of France Al, you are coming." Tom gave him a meaningful look,

"How did you know!" Alex queried,

"Al, you have been my friend since days in the sandbox, I can read you like a book." Tom laughed,

"Tom, you wanted to play in the sandbox last week," Alice teased,

"Only because I was babysitting your little sister!" Tom defended himself, Alex looked at him then burst out laughing,

"Sorry, did we interrupt? We tried to call but you didn't answer." Alice noticed the wary looks the other five males in the room were giving her, also highly confused at the conversation.

"No, it's nothing, they were just leaving, but we can leave now and you can tell me all about the south of France." Alex told them.

"Let's go to yours Tom, my mum is still getting over the shock and shrieking down the phone at anyone who will listen '_My Alice is going to Cambridge medical school_'. Nightmare." Alice shuddered, Snake gasped,

"Congrats." He noted, "As an Oxford graduate I can't say much nice about Cambridge medical school but it is good." The medic told them,

"Is it hard?" Alice queried,

"You develop an immunity to caffeine but if you enjoy what you are learning you will be fine." Snake replied. Tom and Alice nodded thanks then dragged Alex out the door, Tom paused and stuck his head back into the kitchen,

"I'd read the file if I were you. It looks important. Though its not as thought its from MISO is it? That would be ridiculous." He grinned at them then left now Alex was the one doing the dragging.

"What are we doing?" Alex asked when they reached Tom's house,

"Not sure, movie marathon?" Alice suggested,

"Each pick a movie, popcorn, Alex can cook his amazing lasagne. Its a plan." Tom announced, Alice's phone rang and she picked it up,

"Mum, hey... yeah I guess... no we're staying in... Yeah, we'll come get her... see you soon." Alice hung up. "Babysitting duty, mum's driving to see her sister tonight, going through a messy divorce and dad is still in Ukraine. Tilly's on her own, sorry guys." She sighed,

"It's cool, take my car, I'll drive you." Alex offered,

"Alex." Tom warned,

"Hey! I can drive now!" Alex exclaimed,

"Shirt off." Alice ordered. Alex crossed his arms. "Doctors orders. Shirt. Off. Or you aren't driving." Alice announced,

"Come on, you patched me up three days ago!" Alex sighed and ran a hand through his hair, Tom tackled him to the ground when his guard was down and Alice tickled him,

"Go away!" Alex laughed,

"Should have taken your shirt off shouldn't you!" Alice replied,

"I'll take it off!" Alex gasped out, he was aloud to sit up and he pulled of his jumper then he slowly tugged his shirt off wincing.

"That's new." Toms eyes instantly saw the extra bandage covering the knife wound Alex had received from the assassin,

"Yeah, a slight run in with an assassin." Alex brushed it off, Alice helped him up and led him to the kitchen,

"Up." She ordered, he hopped up onto the counter,

"Can I take this off yet?" Tom asked. There was one bandage he hadn't allowed any one to touch, the one covering Dr Three's mark,

"The bottom one, not the top one." Alex replied, Alice gently peeled it back then gasped. Both bandages had come off.

"It's bleeding." Tom stated as Alice grabbed the medical kit. She cleaned it, causing Alex to stiffen in pain then re bandaged it.

"Al, that's weeks old, why is it still bleeding?" Alice's voice was weak.

"Because it is too deep." Alex eventually replied a few minutes later when his top was back on and they were in the car. "It's too deep to have healed this quickly. I still have the bruises and cuts. That will be the last to go." Alex had lost the fight to drive and now Alice was driving his car. They pulled up outside her house and went in,

"Hay Hazel." Tom called.

"Tom, Alex! So nice to see you both." Alice's mum smiled at them,

"ALEX!" A shriek was heard then a small figure threw herself at Alex and he caught her and swung the three year old into the air.

"Hello little rascal, I hear you are spending the evening with us!" Alex wandered off into the house,

"And he is gone for the evening." Tom laughed,

"Has he really never had any siblings, he is amazing with them." Hazel laughed as she watched the blonde spin her daughter around Tilly shrieking in laughter,

"No, but he grew up with Tom as a best friend so..." Alice shrugged teasingly.

"I need to dash, see you." Hazel kissed them all on the cheek and left the house.

"My film has been chosen for me." Alex announced,

"Really, what is it?" Tom asked heading back to the car.

"Lion King." Tilly announced.

"Well then it must be a Disney marathon." Tom declared. "I choose... Beauty and the beast."

"Aristocats." Alice finished off the list,

"YAY!" Tilly bounced in her seat all the way to Toms house excited for the films.

Three hours later Alice poked Tom, he looked away from the screen curious and she pointed at the other sofa. He glanced across and saw Tilly fast asleep curled up against Alex. Who too was fast asleep. Alice pulled out her phone to take a photo but Tom shook his head.

"It's cute, I'll give you that, but you saw how tired he was. Take a photo but don't use it as emotional blackmail, or to tease him." Tom murmured,

"I was going to make it his phones screen saver. And mine." Alice replied.

"Deal." Tom grinned. Tom snatched Alex's phone from the table and took a photo with it, then saved it to his home screen. "My work here is done." Tom whispered.

"Tom." Alice seemed hesitant.

"Yeah?" He stopped the film as it ended, he stood and turned off all the lights while Alice grabbed a blanket for the two sleeping.

"He must have been exhausted to sleep with that noise. You know how badly he sleeps." Alice murmured, they left the room and headed upstairs,

"What were you going to ask?" Tom queried.

"I was curious about something you said earlier. What is in the south of France?" She asked,

"Sabina Pleasure." Tom replied after a slight hesitation. Alice's eyebrows furrowed in confusion,

"But... Tom... Sabina Pleasure is dead."

* * *

**So... I'll explain the last statement soon, I was reminded that no one in this story knew what had happened to the Pleasures, unlike my other story. Please, Review! They are like a drug to fanfiction writers! Unfortunately, like many drugs, this too is pretty addictive...**


	4. Bickering like a married couple

**OK, I had many queries about Sabina, a lot of you wanted her dead, or wouldn't mid if she was... Nice to see I am not alone in the opinion.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

_Alex woke with a start heart pounding, he worked to slow his breathing, the door opened and a girl walked in, she sat next to Alex on the bed and slipped an arm around him soothing him,_

"_Sorry I woke you Sabina." Alex murmured,_

"_It's fine, I have told you again and again, you can wake me as often as you like when you are like this." She smiled sadly, "It's not your fault, and never will be."_

"_I'm still sorry.", Sabina stood and took his hand, she led him down stairs and outside to the garden, they sat on the bench at the end of it in silence, Alex's eyes roamed the grass, then he froze, there was a thin wire leading into the bushes, he followed it and found a box counting down._

_Five...Four...Three...Two_

_Alex gasped then sprinted towards the house desperate. The explosion tore through the house and the shock wave threw him onto his back winding him._

"_NO!" The two teens cried out,_

"_Alex!" Sabina broke down in tears, she held onto Alex like he was the only thing she had left. In a way he was. The same way Sabina was the only thing Alex had left, aside from Tom, that he cared about._

"_A touching scene Mr Rider, but none the less come along now." He was torn from her and marched away._

"_Goodnight Miss Pleasure." Sabina's world went black._

_Ben saw the explosion from miles away, he had come for a surprise visit to see Alex. He sped through the darkened streets and pulled up a few blocks away from the house hearing the sirens. He crept into the back garden and saw Sabina lying there, _

"_Sabina." He murmured, she stirred slightly,_

"_Ben." They had only met three times but Sabina had seen plenty of photos of Ben and heard stories. "It's not going to stop is it?" She sighed still numb from the deaths of her parents and Alex's abduction._

"_No." Ben nodded sadly, "Let's get you to a hospital." He helped her up,she rubbed her head memories returning then gasped and gripped Ben on the arm,_

"_They have Alex! They want everyone to think he died in the explosion, you need to get him, don't worry about me, its him that's in trouble!"_

"_Are you sure? You may have concussion." Ben sounded like he didn't want to believe her._

"_I am sure." Her voice left no room for doubt._

"_Then lets go." They headed to the car artfully dodging the police, firemen and paramedics,_

"_I'm sorry about your parents." Ben said quietly,_

"_Please don't. Alex needs me in a sound mind, I need to find Alex." This the spy understood perfectly._

"_Where are we going?" Sabina queried,_

"_A safe house. Tell me all that you remember." Sabina described the men the best she could. When she described the last man Ben gasped,_

"_What?" Sabina demanded,_

"_You're sure about him? The scar down the side of his face?" Ben sounded worried._

"_Yes, why?" Sabina now too sounded worried._

"_Victor Gregorian." Ben breathed,_

"_How do you know?" Sabina asked, Ben smiled grimly,_

"_I gave him the scar. In we go." They had arrived._

"_They are a group called Lighters. Its a stupid name but they are arsonists. They have never kidnapped before though." Ben ran a hand through his hair. "They had 3 bases in San Francisco. One SFPD shut down two years ago, another the CIA got a few months ago, the third... That's still operating." Ben went into a back room and pressed a hidden switch to reveal a whole host of gadgets and weapons. Ben gathered a secondary gun and turned to see Sabina pick up a sig Sauer P226 and holster it like she had been doing it for years,_

"_I got Alex to teach me," Sabina explained, still Ben hesitated,_

"_How did you manage that? He doesn't like doing anything learnt from..." Ben trailed off unsure how much the teen knew,_

"_Malagosto. I know, I sweet talked him, tickled him and told him it would help protect us if they came for him again. After a month he agreed. I also sat on him." Sabina shrugged,_

"_Remind me not to get on the wrong side of you. Don't fire unless you must, the aim is to get Alex out without them knowing." Sabina nodded and tucked a second gun into her waistband,_

"_It's for Alex, you know how he hates being rescued, this will make him feel better." Ben laughed despite the situation and they headed back to the main room and Ben pulled up blueprints of the base. They planned their strategy and were then in the car again._

_Sabina broke the silence with a sigh, 'They're never going to leave us alone are they?" She stated,_

"_No, I don't think they will."_

"_What if I die?" Ben gasped at Sabina's words,_

"_Alex would crucify me!" Ben exclaimed,_

"_No, that came out wrong, what if I died in the explosion with mum and dad?" Sabina corrected herself._

"_That could work but that would mean moving to another country, changing your name, never speaking to your friend again. You would be dead." Ben explained the consequences._

"_I know, but it will keep me, and Alex safe no?" She checked,_

"_Theoretically. Discuss it with Alex." Ben didn't deny the logic of the statement or the idea._

"_South of France," Sabina announced as they neared the safe house. 'I have always wanted to stay in France and perfect my French. And Alex will agree."_

"_You must have him wrapped around your little finger is you think he will go for that." Ben commented amused,_

"_I do, and he can't fault the logic." Sabina shrugged as Ben pulled up at the kerb, _

"_The south of France it is."_

* * *

Alex was crouched in the shadow of a tree eyeing up the building, he knew Ben was inside undercover and it was time to pull him out, by killing him. Or that was supposed to be what the others thought. Alex stood and, staying carefully to the shadows, made his way towards the building. He eyed the window on the 2nd floor and the drainpipe next to it,

"Inviting thieves." He muttered and started climbed. Silently he slipped in through the window and ducked into the shadows in the corner of the room, he waited patiently then the door opened, the man shut the door behind him and sat at the desk.

"You're late." Alex stated flatly, there was a low chuckle,

"You're one to talk, always late for dinner." The other man replied amusement leaking into this tone,

"I'm the one cooking dinner, I can't be late for it." Alex smirked,

"Hows this working?" Ben asked in a low voice, Alex heard footsteps outside, perfect.

"Oh simply and quickly." He replied, the footsteps stopped, Alex raised his gun as Ben quickly made his way to the window.

The door burst open and shots flew, Ben fell out the window and Alex fell to one knee then crawled over to the window and slipped down the drainpipe to the ground where he limped off into the woods.

"What about Michael?" One man called, the second looked out the window,

"Dead. This place is burnt lets go." The first announced.

Alex watched amused as the men ran around clearing the place dousing it in fuel and running to cars. The last set fire to the building and it went up. The car sped away and Alex ran to Ben,

"Come on." Alex helped him up and together they ran into the trees and to the car,

"You're hit." Ben stated matter of factly as they reached the car,

"Hardly grazed." Alex, as he did with most injuries, brushed it off. 'How are you?"

"Bored of that mission. I've fed enough data to '6 to bring them down tenfold. It was hard to get accepted but after that it was like taking candy from a baby." Ben shrugged,

"You need easy missions every now and again." Alex replied, "Speaking of which, we have a mission." Alex added,

"Of course, how foolish of me to think I may get a break." Ben groaned,

"It's easier than that one. Babysitting." Alex groaned,

"Explain." Ben faced him as he drove, "That's new." Ben touched the line Chris' bullet had left across his temple.

"It's from the boy we're babysitting." Alex replied, Ben gaped,

"Start explaining." Ben sat back as Alex started explaining everything that had happened since Chris had arrived, and what had happened before.

* * *

"So, this is the place he is scouting." Ben sounded doubtful as they looked at the house in a field. It even had a garden and a fence, no security in sight.

"Yep. Apparently he needs to go in and download all the data on his computer, that's it." Alex shrugged, then winced.

"I saw that." Ben muttered. "This is child's play. But then again Al, you are a child." Ben ruffled his hair teasingly,

"Shove off Benjamin you act enough like one." Alex muttered. They were crouched in the bushes near the house, watching the comings and goings.

"Moron." Alex and Ben breathed as Chris ran to the front door and tried to open it. He then cursed and ran around the side, straight into the gardener.

"What are you doing!" The man exclaimed,

"Nothing sir!" Chris squeaked,

"Well then you can come inside until I call the police." The gardener replied. The man went inside and Alex and Ben froze,

"Ben," Alex started,

"I see them." Twelve security cameras had just become visible.

"NO!" Ben gasped as they saw K unit rush towards the house. Men streamed out of the house and marched them inside.

"We're babysitting. All of them." Alex muttered.

"Shall we go? How's your skill of scaling drainpipes?" Ben replied,

"Still in fine shape. Comms, I'll go around the other side you stay here." Alex stated slipping his comms into his ear, Ben did the same. Alex, keeping to the shadows walked calmly around the house and was soon crouched in the bushes opposite Ben without having been seen.

"_Al, you get the data, I'll see about the others.'_ Ben's voice came through the ear bud.

"Got you. Lets go." Within a minute Alex was standing in front of the computer, memory stick attached, all the data being automatically downloaded to Smithers and making the USB look empty so if he was searched he had no data on him.

Then he looked downstairs. Chris and k unit were in the living room, held at gun point with their hands taped together. Ben nodded to Alex who sauntered down the stairs and into the living room, much to the shock of the five captives and slouched in the doorway. The guards still hadn't seen him. Alex pulled out a packet of biscuits and grinned,

"Anyone for a biscuit?" He offered, they all spun around guns firing uselessly,

"Whatever you do, don't eat them." Alex told the five and threw the biscuits towards them. Then he turned to the guards who were all staring at their guns confused, while they were distracted Alex knocked all the men unconscious. Then cut the four SAS and one spy free from their taped hands and stood,

"We should get going no?" Ben queried appearing in the door,

"Sorted?" Alex checked,

"Sleeping like logs. Morons." Ben sighed as K unit gaped,

"FOX!" They exclaimed,

"Reunions later, lets go." Ben repeated. They all headed for the door taking the biscuits with them. They ran to the cars and slid inside, Cheetah travelling with Ben and Alex.

"So, what were you doing there?" Cheetah asked,

"Back up." Ben replied. Cheetah couldn't fault that they had needed it.

"By the way, nice to see you again Fox." Cheetah grinned,

"You too. What do you think of Alex?" Ben replied, Cheetah's eyes darked,

"He hasn't told you?" Cheetah's voice was low.

"Oh he told me, I just want both sides of the story." Ben shrugged.

"Oh I think Jaguar has been _brilliant_." Cheetah replied Ben roared with laughter. Then Alex's phone rang on the car system,

"Rider." He said into the system.

"_What the fuck was in those biscuits Rider! Chris is looking green!"_ They heard a muffled stop the car.

"He ate them! I specifically told him not to touch them!" Alex exclaimed groaning as the car stopped. They saw Chris sprint to the three line Snake following anxiously, Eagle just looked nervous. Alex guessed he had eaten biscuits as well.

"What the hell Rider!" Wolf exclaimed storming over to them.

"All he needs to do is eat a party ring, then he'll be fine." Alex replied lying slightly, Smithers had only tested them on a few choice people. Eagle searched through the bag and discovered the last party ring. He took it over to Chris who managed to eat it. Ten tense silent minutes later he was fine.

"What was that!" Chris exclaimed,

"Smithers." Ben and Alex replied,

"The shortbread ones make you throw up uncontrollably for three hours. The party rings make you stop." Alex explained,

"What the fucking hell is that to be used for!" Wolf was still angry.

"Tea parties." Alex and Ben replied with a shrug.

"He got a new idea while I was down there the other day." Alex added to Ben,

"What?" He sounded wary.

"Exploding toilets." Alex grinned, Ben laughed and Cheetah snorted. The rest stayed resolutely silent.

"Do the bourbons do anything?" Eagle asked examining one.

"Yes, knocks you out." Alex replied grinning as Eagle hurriedly replaced it and threw the bag to Alex who caught it effortlessly.

"Shall we get going then agent Rider? Or do you want to stay here and chat with you biscuits?" Wolf sneered, Ben blinked shocked,

"No it's fine." The threw the keys in the air and went the catch them, Ben snatched them out the air,

"I'm driving." He announced,

"No you are not!" Alex replied,

"You are in no state to drive." Ben replied flatly,

"Yes I am!" Alex sighed, he knew he was going to loose.

"You were shot earlier." Ben pointed out.

"It was a graze and you fell out a window earlier."

"It was planned. Technically you shot me so I fell out a window." Ben smirked,

"It was planned. Would you prefer to still be there?" Alex queried,

"God no, it was so boring."

"You two bicker like a married couple." Eagle was watching the exchange amused, the rest were watching it thinking they hadn't seen this side of Ben or Agent Rider before.

"I am driving." Ben glared at him, Alex glared back. Three minutes later Alex caved,

"You can drive." He muttered, Ben blinked shocked,

"You feeling OK Al?" Ben checked,

"Shut up. You knew that was one fight I wouldn't win."

"You only got out of hospital three weeks ago." Ben grinned like he'd won big as they slid into the car.

"Hospital. What hospital?" Cheetah asked,

"Alex." Ben groaned, "Tell me they know." He begged,

"They don't." Alex muttered. Ben shut his eyes.

"We are having a long talk at home." Ben concluded.

"You got that right." Cheetah murmured.

* * *

**Please review! I will love you all the more for it! :D**


	5. Why isn't Chris treated like Cub!

**I swear I am entirely truthful when I say this, my Internet died and we had to get a new BT box, have just spent half and hour untangling wires under my dads desk. I have felt so bad for leaving you, especially when I needed feedback, let me know what you think.**

* * *

"Why didn't the guns work." Wolf demanded as soon as they were in the house and all in the same room.

"Hydrous crystals." Ben replied, "They are crushed down so turn into a... gas I guess, they mess with the bullets meaning they can't be fired any more." Ben shrugged, "6 Tech."

"What did you mean by 'You are in no state to drive'?" Snake asked curious.

"What did you mean by the fact Rider had only just gotten out of hospital three weeks ago?" Cheetah asked,

"They seriously don't know." Ben sighed,

"Nope." Alex sat back hands wrapped abound a mug of tea,

"What about mine!" Ben exclaimed,

"Dude, you live here, get your own." Alex replied, Ben ruffled his hair as Alex tried and failed to dodge it,

"What!" The five others exclaimed,

"Nor that. Jesus Al, what _did_ you tell them?" Ben sighed,

"Nothing. Rider has told us nothing." Wolf growled,

"They didn't guess." Ben queried,

"No." He shrugged and fought a wince,

"Saw that. How do they not. You should be an actor."

"That's what Tom and Alice said!" Alex laughed,

"How are they? Do they know if they got in?" Ben asked,

"Yep, both got accepted to Cambridge med school. They're taking me to France with them over Christmas to celebrate." Alex grinned,

"South?" Ben checked,

"Yep." His grin spread,

"Someone's excited." Ben was grinning as well.

"Wouldn't you be?" Alex shot back,

"Did I ever say I wouldn't be. I still can't believe she got you to agree." Ben sighed,

"I still can't believe after all this time 6 still don't know." Alex commented,

"That too."

"OK, ENOUGH OF THE CRYPTIC TALK!" Eagle burst,

"We were being cryptic." Ben and Alex asked innocently,

"Man, you have been in the game _far_ too long." Chris laughed,

"Yes," Wolf pinched the bridge of his nose, "You were being cryptic."

"Back to the hospital, we guessed he was injured but not how badly." Snake tried to calm the room down, no matter how fruitless the exercise,

"He told me he had a slight sprain in his wrist, then clammed up when I pointed out Wolf hadn't been grasping his wrist," Cheetah put in,

"A sprain Al, _really_." Ben sighed,

"It was!" Alex exclaimed,

"Yes, _in your wrist. _What about your arm?" He raised an eyebrow. Then frowned, "Why were you grasping his arm anyway?"

"I scared Chris." Alex sighed,

"Twice and he got hurt." Wolf snapped,

"Oh sorry, I forgot it was him who got shot not me." Alex's voice was snarky,

"What was a gun doing in a filing draw anyway!" Chris exclaimed,

"What letter?" Ben asked, Alex smirked,

"I'm _sorry_." Eagle gasped, trying, and failing, to find a reason behind the inquiry,

"What letter was it filed under?" Ben repeated the question.

"G." Chris replied slowly,

"My bad." Ben sat back, "Sorry."

"It's not as though you shot me. Be it your gun." Alex shrugged again, then grinned triumphantly when he didn't flinch.

"Saw that too, so it does hurt." Ben grinned widely. Alex stuck his tongue out.

"Wow, real mature." Chris muttered as Ben stuck his back, "Who files a gun under 'g'?!"

"Where else would you file it?" Ben asked, Alex coughed,

"B." Ben rolled his eyes,

"Only you file it there Alex."

"I do not! Do you know where Smithers files his?" Alex grinned eyes twinkling,

"S?" Ben guessed,

"No, that's Joe, under U, for useless." Alex laughed Ben joining in.

"Why are they under those letters!" Snake snapped at them sick of being confused,

"G for gun, duh, b for bang and s for shot. Obviously." Alex replied,

"No need to be sassy." Wolf growled,

"Bed, all of you." Cheetah announced breaking up the argument before it blew out of proportion.

"My own bed, best part of returning after a mission." Ben smiled blissfully,

"I know, especially when you've been playing poor." Alex agreed,

"Like Bangkok." Ben commented,

"And Jakarta." Alex agreed,

"Lastly Australia." Ben concluded,

"I don't know, comparatively the Aussie SAS base was positively the Ritz when compared to Brecon." Alex replied,

"True, such softies." Ben sighed, "Hopeless."

"Yet I was the one who missed the platform." At Alex's words Chris and Eagle snorted,

"You had only jumped once, though next time tell me it was onto the roof of the science museum." Ben raised an eyebrow pointedly,

"Next time I won't programme my hand print into Royal blue." The two walked upstairs still bickering,

"OK, that was weird." Eagle summarised,

"I'm going to hedge a guess they know each other." Snake stated,

"No shit Sherlock." Two voices called from upstairs.

"That's right, they're spies." Wolf grumbled,

"Unfortunately." Chris muttered.

"Bed, my head hurts from those two." Cheetah summarised,

"Checks first, Chris bed." Snake ordered, Chris headed towards the stairs grumbling about being treated like a child.

"That's because you are a child Christopher." Alex commented from behind him Chris jumped and swore,

"Chris?!" Wolf called up the stairs,

"It's fine. Just stubbed my toe that's all." Chris glared at Alex,

"Fuck off Rider." His voice was venomous,

"Lovely house mate we have." Ben murmured as Alex walked past,

"Tell me about it. Wait until he shoots you."

"Sleep well." Ben ruffled his hair as he had done every night he had said those words to Alex since the Pleasure's had died nearly two years ago.

"That's likely. Sleep well Ben." Alex shut his door and curled up in his bed sighing to himself.

* * *

Alex woke from his sleep was on his feet in seconds door open, he saw a confused Ben opposite him but the shouts still went on, Alex sprinted to Chris' room and instantly recognised what was happening,

"Flashback." Ben swore,

"Shh." Alex crouched by him and held him down, "Come on Chris, wake up." His voice was still soft, the boy woke up shaking like a leaf and Alex wrapped his arms around him Chris held onto him like he was drowning,

"Deep breaths, come on, deep breaths Chris. You're all right, you're safe, they're gone. Just take deep breaths." Alex continued talking quietly in his ear and slowly the boy calmed, Alex looked up to find an audience in the room, Ben, realising Alex was shirtless, quickly pulled off his top and threw it to Alex who within seconds was wearing it.

"Thanks." Alex murmured to him, "Can I help you?" He asked the four members of k unit,

"What happened to you?" Snake breathed, Alex glanced at Chris,

"You OK?" He asked, Chris nodded slowly still getting over the flashback, Cheetah smirked suddenly,

"Love the pyjamas." He commented trying to break the tension, Alex looked down smiling wryly, they were covered in cartoon dinosaurs,

"They were a gift." Alex shrugged, Snake, Wolf's and Eagles eyes following the scars on his arms up and down with the shrug,

"And shockingly they aren't the worst." Ben teased,

"Well you go have my little pony trousers Ben so you can't really judge me." Alex taunted,

"And they are my favourite, why did Sabina get me them anyway?" Ben asked,

"They weren't in my size and she wanted to see a man wear them." Alex grinned,

"Great, and yet you get new ones every year. Twice a year. Why?" Ben sighed,

"Apparently, one I can't buy clothes, and two, I am impossible to buy presents for."

"That is true. You _are_ impossible." Ben agreed,

"You aren't much better. Do you know how much I searched for your present?!" Alex exclaimed,

"The boxers with pink bunnies on?" Ben asked, "Or the mug saying 'I'm not lazy, I'm just in energy saving mode'?"

"Both." Alex nodded grinning,

"Rider, what happened to you!" Snake repeated in a strangled voice,

"Nothing that concerns you." Alex's voice was flat,

"I beg to differ," Ben muttered,

"Don't." Alex sighed, "Please."

"Why do you speak to Fox in a nice tone but us like were shit?!" Wolf growled,

"Gee, I can't think why. Maybe because he is nice to me?" Alex snapped back and tried to get past, Wolf's arm shot out and stopped him, it hit Alex's hip and he froze and turned white stiffening in pain,

"Al." Ben sounded worried, "You OK?" The teen nodded and slipped past Wolf's arm, "What did you do!" Ben hissed at Wolf,

"I stopped him by sticking my arm out! It hit him that's all." Wolf sounded defensive,

"What does it matter to us if he's sensitive." Chris commented,

"Where?" Ben demanded,

"What?" Snake sounded confused,

"Where did it hit him?" Ben repeated,

"Here." Wolf gestured across his middle, the ex SAS spy ran a hand through his hair,

"First his arm now his hip, do you look at him and think 'Oh he favours that part of his body, lets damage it'?" Ben demanded, "You just saw him with his shirt off, the one place that actually still has a bandage on it you just _have _to hit."

"Ben stop it." Alex said from the hallway, Wolf was crouched in front of Chris and asking if he was all right,

"Enough Rider, we don't need you interfering." Snake stated flatly, the spy threw his hands up in the air and let out a gust of air,

"You're bleeding." Cheetah gasped seeing the patch of blood on Ben's t shirt,

"Yeah, I owe you a new top, sorry." Alex shrugged helplessly at his friend,

"It's cool, you had more need of it than me. I want to know why it still bleeds when hit." Ben commented,

"Because he probably self harms. Why else would he not tell us where his scars come from." Wolf stated standing, Ben and Alex stared at him, Ben's mouth opening and closing trying to form a coherent sentence,

"Now I see why you're snarkier than usual." He finally managed to get out facing Alex,

"So, was I right?" Wolf grinned fiendishly, Ben spun around to face Wolf eyes burning, "Does he do it for attentions from his parents? Maybe siblings?"

"You don't have _any_ idea what you are talking about-"

"Ben. Don't bother." Alex put a restraining hand on his arm, Ben looked at Alex, the contact lasted for just under a minute then Ben nodded,

"Fine. I'm going back to bed." Ben stormed back to his room.

"Don't bother playing the hero Rider." Eagle told him as Alex too left the room, he groaned realising he was too pent up to sleep, he glanced at the time, three am. Even with the time difference it was to early to call France. He sighed and pulled on a jumper as he headed to his study,

"May as well do some paper work now I'm awake." He muttered grumpily, Cheetah grabbed his arm as he passed,

"We need to talk." He murmured,

"No, we don't." Alex replied,

"But however _we_ do." A new voice said quietly, Ben grabbed his arm lightly and led him away,

"How come you go with him!" Cheetah complained,

"Well with him he knows he can win and where his,and my, limits are. You would keep blindly asking." Alex replied letting Ben lead him to his bedroom. They sat on the bed at opposite ends,

"How are you coping?" Ben asked breaking the companionable silence,

"Oh just fine with an SAS unit and a teen who hates me and who _love listening at doors to conversations that don't concern them_." Alex raised his voice, there was a shuffling then silence,

"Still waiting." Ben commented, more footsteps then silence, Ben raised an eyebrow at Alex who's determining of listeners at doors was superior to his.

"Still waiting Eagle..." Alex called, there was a curse then the door flew open and Eagle ran and jumped onto the bed like a small child on Christmas morning,

"Tell me about the scars!" He exclaimed,

"Eagle, bed." Alex stated,

"I'm not a child." Eagle pouted,

"Then stop acting like one!" Ben and Alex exclaimed,

"You are one to talk, creeping up on people." Chris commented scornfully from the doorway,

"I never thought of assassins, who are _very_ fond of creeping, as childish." Alex commented,

"Al, play nice." Ben masked a grin,

"Rider, no need to be mean." Wolf snapped appearing at the door, "I bet it is self harm, trying get notice from his parents, maybe family, probably siblings and-" Wolf shut up as Ben flew off the bed, Wolf pushed Chris behind him, a reflex protective measure if ever there was one.

"Do you know what he has been through? Do you know him? Do you know about him? Do you even give a damn enough to find out about him and his family? Did you think of asking nicely where his scars came from instead of jumping to wildly wrong conclusions? What happened to him-"

"Ben." Alex's voice held a power none of the SAS unit or the teen had heard before, Ben had, it was used when he was about to cross a line, Ben glanced back at him,

"Fox, calm it, you're scaring the kid." Snake tried to calm the situation wondering how it had gotten so out of hand due to a simple flashback.

"He deserves it." Ben muttered.

"He is a child, how can he deserve _any_ of this! He should be at home with his family not with the fucking SAS! He shouldn't have seen what he has seen, Rider isn't helping, Chris has seen stuff Rider could only have nightmares about. Chris shouldn't be involved in any of this, you should respect that and through that him. We don't need to make this any harder for him than it already is." Wolf's little speech paused Ben for a minute in shock then he glanced at Chris hiding behind the SAS unit, then spun back to Wolf,

"Why didn't you treat Cub like you treat Chris!" He asked the question he had wanted to ask since he saw the way they treated the younger teen. That stumped the SAS unit for a few seconds then Snake spoke slowly,

"Cub was older, we were younger and going through selection." He sounded uncertain,

"Pardon." Ben gaped, "Cub was _older_."

"Yeah, he was like officially an adult wasn't he?" Eagle agreed,

"Seriously." Ben leant his head in his hand, "How old do you think he was?"

"Eighteen ish." Wolf replied,

"WHAT!" Alex exclaimed shock making his exclamation quiet,

"Jesus." Ben breathed,

"He was an adult, he could have said no to the seniors if he wanted to, Chris had no choice." Wolf was back on track for the rant, "Cub was a spoilt brat who's parents were sick and tired of having him around. He was even sent to a school in the Alps to straighten him out as we didn't do a good enough of a job." Wolf scorned,

"I- I- God. I am not even hearing this." Alex headed to the door planning to get past them.

"What!" Cheetah was bored of being out the loop.

"They have it all wrong." Ben sighed,

"If you know better, how old was he?" Snake was concerned about the look on Ben's face,

"Fourteen. He was _fourteen_." Ben raised an eyebrow at Alex who had answered, anger in his voice. Ben had thought he wouldn't want them knowing. In the still shock the SAS men were in Alex barged out the room,

"I'm going for a run." He called to Ben,

"I'm coming." Ben murmured grabbing some clothes then leaving the SAS and Chris in shock.

"Fourteen. Bullshit." Snake finally regained the use of his voice,

"He was too good for fourteen." Eagle agreed, meanwhile something had clicked in Cheetah and he ran out the room,

"Alex!" He called and caught up to them on the pavement, "Tell me Jaguar. Are you Cub?"

Alex hesitated weighing the knowledge and the damage it could do to him up in his head, then nodded once. Cheetah swore and by the time he returned to his senses the two spies were long gone.

* * *

**I need an opinion, would you you would hate me if I killed Sabina?**

**A simple yes or no will suffice, it will all make more sense when the next chapter is up.**


	6. Obviously I need to start working out

**Twice in one day! Phew! OK, many of you want Sabina dead and the mainly the rest want her alive so Chris can flirt with her and make a fool of himself, again.**

**Tell me your opinion at the end of this...:**

* * *

"When do you leave?" Ben asked as they wandered around the supermarket doing the weekly shop and daily avoid other members of the household,

"This afternoon, Tom and Alice are coming around, Tilly is now coming as well." Alex smiled fondly at the thought of the small child,

"I guess that you don't mind that." Ben grinned, "Looking forward to the trip?" Alex's smile grew, "I'll take that as a yes then.."

"Yep." Alex didn't even bother to tease him he was too excited about seeing Sabina. They had been avoiding Chris and k unit for a week since the 'age incident' as Eagle had dubbed it. Cheetah kept giving Alex strange looks then shaking his head in disbelief, thankfully none of the others had noticed, that would lead to even more questions.

"Can we get-" Ben was cut off by his phone ringing, he answered it glumly,

"Daniels... Yes ma'am... certainly ma'am... I'll see you at three." He hung up,

"Lets go," Alex guessed the conversation.

The journey home was in silence then they reached the house,

"Where is it?" Alex asked quietly,

"South of France ironically, I'm on the same flight as you." Ben replied glumly, "When it's done I'll come and meet you."

"What's this?" Snake asked waltzing in to steal some food as their house was empty,

"Mission." Ben replied,

"But that means you'll both be gone." Chris commented,

"See, he has brains that one." Alex grinned at Ben,

"Rider."

"And there he is, Wolf to save the day." A ringtone cut short Alex's comment and Wolf's retort, Alex grabbed the phone off the top of the cupboards and grinned,

"Bonjour." Alex said into the phone and slipped out the room, Ben smiled to himself and continued putting things away, realising most of them were redundant as both the home owners were away,

"Hope you're hungry Chris, there's food enough for three to feed one." Ben commented as Alex returned to the kitchen grinning widely, "Does she know?"

"Nope, it's a surprise." Alex's grin grew wider, then the door flew open,

"ALEX!" Tilly threw herself at Alex and he picked her up,

"You have grown!" Alex exclaimed, "And what is this?!" He asked looking at the bag in her hand, he noticed k unit enter the kitchen thinking it was an intruder and gaped at the three year old grinning in Alex's arms,

"This is my new bag!" She showed it to him proudly,

"That's amazing, where is it from?" Alex bounced her up so he could pocket his phone,

"H&M, its a big girl shop!"

"But you are a big girl now aren't you? You are in nursery." Alex smiled at Ben who was holding back laughter,

"Yep! Ben!" Tilly finally noticed the other man,

"Hey Till, you looking forward to your holiday?" Ben asked handing her a cookie which she accepted with a smile,

"Yep, who are they?" She asked pointing at the SAS men and Chris,

"People we know." Alex replied,

"I don't like them, they look mean and nasty, that one especially looks like a bully." She pointed at Wolf, Ben snorted and Alex fought to hold in laughter, Wolf glared, then realised he was glaring at a three year old girl and stopped.

"Are we going?" Ben asked,

"You're coming?" Alice asked,

"Same flight." Ben replied, "And as the company is paying for the fuel and parking I will drive if you'll let me."

"Be my guest." Tom grinned,

"You ready?" Alex asked Tilly,

"Yes, you?" She asked in reply,

"Yep."

"Do you have the cookie monster trousers?" She asked seriously, Alice laughed,

"Another gift?" She queried,

"Yes." Alex sighed,

"Same person?" She added,

"Yes."

"Will you have more when we return?" Tom asked,

"Almost certainly." Alex laughed,

"Where does she get them from?" Alice asked honestly curious,

"I have no idea, but you can ask her in six hours." He replied eyes glistening in delight and excitement,

"Can I sit next to you on the plane Alex?" Tilly asked suddenly,

"Well I suppose if I must..." Alex teased,

"You're mean." Tilly said in a straight face then laughed,

"Well if the decision is between you and your sister I shall have to pick you." Alex told her,

"Thanks Al." Alice laughed,

"I saw what you locked my lock screen as on my phone, still not impressed." Alex told her eyes sparkling with amusement,

"I couldn't help it, you were so cute!" The girl blurted then paused, "It's my lock screen as well. And I was just paying you back for the time you changed Tom's lock screen. Due to your superior hacking skills it took three months for it to change. And that was because he updated." She added,

"Right, I'm ready." Ben reappeared and took in the scene of banter between the teen and Tilly and the bemusement of the SAS and Chris,

_No change there._ He thought amused.

"Should you be holding her in your state?" Alice asked concerned,

"Alice, she was jumping on top of me _in my hospital bed_. I think I'm good." Alex replied,

"He has a point." Tom grudgingly conceded, "And I don't think Tilly is going to let go until she has to."

"No, I won't!" Tilly announced with a smile,

"Rider, before you go, you _must_ have siblings. Right or wrong." Cheetah asked noting the skill with children that only came from experience,

"Wrong." No one noticed the old pain that appeared in his eyes and only Ben noticed the slight hesitation, but that he put down to the thought of telling the truth. No one even thought of thinking Alex Rider may once upon a time had a sibling.

* * *

"Alex? Wakey wakey sleepy head." Alex woke to an amused soft voice and slowly opened his eyes to see a face surrounded by dark hair. Sabina Pleasure,

"What time is it?" Alex was confused,

"Nearly ten. I'm going to take an educated guess and say that that is the longest you have slept in years." She smiled sadly,

"Yes, I assumed Tilly would have been in here at six like usual as well, I am always awake first so she doesn't get told off for waking me."

"I think Tom and Alice told her not to bother you until you were awake." Sabina lay down next to him and Alex slipped an arm around her,

"Thanks for having us." He murmured.

They had arrived yesterday and had met a shocked Sabina inside her house, Ben had vanished at the airport heading to a safe house, Sabina had found rooms for them all with Tom and Alice sharing, a fact they didn't mind, and Sabina and Alex sharing, a fact they didn't mind either. Tilly was overjoyed to have her own room.

"Come on Alex it's nearly lunch!" Tilly grabbed his hand as soon as he appeared around the corner from the bedroom,

"Hey sleepy!" Alice laughed then gasped when she saw he was still shirtless,

"Sit, I'll make you some breakfast. Alice please stop drooling." Sabina laughed,

"Come on, you've seen me shirtless before." Alex mumbled self conscious,

"But it's so _muscled_, its..." Alice speechless.

"Al, is there something you want to tell me? She has seen you shirtless..." Sabina warned the seriousness of her tone ruined by the mirth dancing in her eyes,

"They patched me up, originally it was just Tom, then Alice walked in on him patching me up and it all stemmed from there. Now if I don't let them see it they sit on me and tickle me. Physical torture, it's illegal yet they still do it." Alex replied,

"I'm sure its terrifying." Sabina laughed,

"Hey, that's Alex's top!" Tom exclaimed looking at Sabina,

"Yeah, I nicked it last year. It was so comfortable." The teen shrugged,

"I was wondering where that went, I got it for him and he wouldn't tell me." Tom grinned, "Now I see why, suits her better."

"HEY!" Alex exclaimed at Tom and Tilly as she stole his juice.

"Mine now." She grinned like a fiend.

"Sucker for smiles aren't you Al." Tom teased,

"If this is what I get I think I'll return to the heaven household of k unit and Chris." Alex retorted,

"Ouch, that was low." Alice laughed, Alex raised an eyebrow, "We'll stop."

"Thanks."

"For now." Sabina added, Alex stood to shower and Alice stood as well,

"It's so _muscled_." She poked his chest and arm,

"Next time I'm wearing a top." Alex stated,

"NO!" Two girls exclaimed as Tom roared with laughter,

"Why do you have a big plaster Alex?" Tilly asked pulling at the plaster covering Dr three's mark,

"Because I fell up the stairs and they were concrete and it cut me." Alex replied without blinking,

"That wasn't very clever." Tilly laughed,

"I know." Alex sighed, "The stairs were though, had a Ph.D. in knife holding." He added in French for Sabina's benefit, she held back her laughter and Alice's eyes narrowed as she frowned,

"I think I may have translated that wrong." She stated,

"Probably not." Sabina reassured her.

"Come on, I want to go to the market, Sab says it's wonderful and it may snow!" Tilly launched herself at Sabina while looking at Alex,

"Hurry up then, the queen has spoken." Sabina hurried him along,

"Forgive me for oversleeping, despite the fact you were all awake only ten minutes before me." Alex stated,

"How did he know that!" Alice exclaimed,

"It's Alex." Sabina and Tom replied flatly, Alice shrugged taking that as a valid answer,

"Good point."

"Lets go." Alex announced ruffling his hair to dry it ten minutes later, he saw Sabina pulling on a coat then a familiar shape caught his eye. "Sabina." Alex sounded quietly pained,

"It's not because of you, I'll explain later." Sabina covered the weapon and kissed Alex lightly,

"Eww. Alice they did that disgusting thing you and Tom do when you think I am not looking." Tilly called,

"Really." Tom stuck a head around the door, "I told you you were coming, it would be good for you." He grinned,

"You had better invite us to the wedding." Alice added, the two they were talking to groaned,

"A wedding?" Sabina sighed,

"From what Tom has told me you have been dating since you did Wimbledon together when you were fourteen, since then you have been to hell and back and still practically love each other. So yes. Invite us to the wedding." Alice summed up seeing no fault in her logic.

"Lets go!" Tilly complained, Alex grabbed Sabina's hand,

"We're coming." He reassured her.

* * *

K unit were sat in a café on the main square in Nanette watching the people go by,

"Guys, maybe we shouldn't be doing this." Cheetah said in a low voice,

"Don't you want to know what is so special in France? The only reason we know they are here is because saw saw the flight board at the airport. Something is here." Eagle replied,

"Something here is obviously not supposed to be found." Cheetah argued.

"There." Snake sat up straighter as he saw Tilly running across the square chasing the birds, she was being followed by two figures,

"There's Rider, is that the girl?" Eagle guessed,

"No, she is there with the boy, there is a fifth." Wolf murmured,

"We may have just found what they came to France for." Snake summarised, as they watched they saw the older girl call her sister leaving Rider and the other girl alone, Alex slipped an arm around her and they headed to a café to warm up.

"Wait. I know that face." Cheetah breathed,

"What?!" The four others exclaimed,

"She's in a photo in his study. I only saw it at a glance but there is another in the living room, two teens laughing at something." Cheetah explained, as they watched the girl leant across and kissed Alex lightly,

"Alice, they're doing it again." Snake lip read the young girl, then she jumped into Alex's arms, his oner arm was taken by the teens hand.

"We have definitely found what is in France." Cheetah breathed.

"Yeah, he has a girlfriend. So what? Why is she here in France and not England?" Chris scorned,

"Just because none of us have a girlfriend is not a reason to dislike Rider even more." Snake reminded them. Chris got a text on his phone then took a moment to open it as he was surprised he had received it in France,

"What?" He queried as he read the message, Eagle took the phone out of his hands curious,

"'Stop stalking me.'" He read out, "What?" He reiterated the teens comment. Cheetah gave a low chuckle and glanced across the square four heads were looking at him, the fifth was too preoccupied with her drink. He sent a reply and saw Alex receive it then smile slightly, he passed the phone across the table.

"What did you say?" Chris asked taking the phone back. "'It's not stalking it's surveillance.'" He read out, "Who is it to?"

"Rider." Cheetah pointed across the square where Alex inclined his head, the smirk visible from here. The phone beeped again,

"'It's all a matter of perspective.'" Chris read out,

"Always a snarky smart arse, even on text," Wolf grumbled,

"'I try to be.'" Chris read out the text that had just arrived,

"Let's go guys." Snake stood and the others followed his lead, across the square two friends high-fived each other.

* * *

"We know where he is, the stupid replacement _spy_ told us that by being incompetent. He's with four others, one we believed dead." Ben was crouched in the alcove of an abandoned house on the outskirts of Teri, the neighbouring large town to Nanette. He was growing more and more worried about the conversation as he was perched here, not least because his foot was going numb, he could hear Alex in his head:

"_Never to crouch like this because it will leave your foot, if not your entire leg, dead for around half an hour."_

Inwardly he cursed the voice and reminder. And himself for not remembering sooner.

"We'll get Rider and Pleasure, leave the others, they are inconsequential and will raise issues when caught." The leader was talking.

"What about Butler and the SAS?" A second was asking,

"Bring them as well." The leader thought for a second. "Twenty men for Rider and Pleasure, twenty for the SAS and Butler."

"Twenty for two teens sir?"

"Yes, you saw what he did when we sent ten for just him. The girl will be harmless," This Ben smirked, she was far from that, "But Rider has had more training." He turned back to his papers. "Get the SAS first with forty then go on to the two teens, forty should be more than plenty, better safe than sorry." The second understood the dismissal.

Ben cursed silently in his head then silently slipped out the building, all the time limping and cursing his dead foot.

* * *

"Alex, can I talk to you about something?" Sabina asked quietly as they neared the flat,

"Sure, what is it?" He cast her a concerned glance,

"I want your opinion and agreement to do something." She answered slowly,

"I'll put her I bed then we can talk." Alex smiled at Tilly fast asleep in his arms,

"Why does she like you so much?"

"I really have no idea, I have no experience with small children." Alex tried to shrug but a grumble from Tilly stopped the movement,

"Stop moving." The child complained before falling back to sleep,

"I'm sorry." Alice mouthed as Sabina opened the door,

"It's cool, I shouldn't have chased her, then she would still be awake," Alex murmured,

"Your arms must be dead." Tom commented,

"You saw him shirtless." Sabina stated,

"And haven't since." Alice frowned, "Three day's Al, you must be shirtless tomorrow."

"You talk as though you don't have a boyfriend." Tom commented amused,

"That doesn't stop me admiring the view." Sabina and Alice replied in unison,

"It's fine for you, he's your boyfriend." Tom laughed, Alex slipped out to put Tilly in her bed the followed Sabina to their bedroom, she sat on the bed and hugged a pillow,

"What's up?" Alex asked,

"I have been asked to join the British SAS." Sabina mumbled,

"And you don't want to?" Alex guessed,

"No, I want to know if you think I should. You have experience with that side and I know if you could do anything it would be to get away from them all." She replied,

"Sab." Alex pulled her under his arm, "I want to get away from '6 but the SAS, that's the one part of the whole thing I enjoyed, that and meeting you and Ben. I enjoyed SAS training, I'm happy for you, is this the new women's camp adjacent to Brecon?"

"Yes, apparently my work here has not gone as unnoticed as I hoped." Sabina grumbled,

"What the linguistics and self-defence?"

"Yep. And the shooting. Only done that once." She shuddered, "You go shower, we're going to dinner in an hour." She shooed him off the bed. Five minutes later he emerged shirtless,

"Nice."

"You do realise you said that out loud?" Alex checked blushing,

"No, but you're cute when you blush." This made Alex's blush deepen, "Can you go make some tea?"

"Sure." Alex threw the towel around his shoulders catching the drops of water from his hair,

"Huh." Alex laughed at the face and sound of surprise that met him when he saw Alice, "I could get used to this," Alex blushed yet again, yet it was nothing compared to the blush that covered Alice's cheeks when she realised she had spoken out loud.

"Obviously I need to start working out." Tom called from the living room,

"Too right." Alex called, back laughing,

"I'll aim to be like you when I grow up."

"That's right, aim high." Alex laughed at his friend,

"Tea," Sabina asked walking into the kitchen, Alex handed her a mug, they all heard the tears from the bedroom and sighed,

"I'll go." Alex stood,

"No, you go on your date, I'll get it, it's my sister. Have fun." Alice stood and shooed them out the door, Sabina slipped her hand into Alex's and smiled,

"Alone at last." She grinned, Alex laughed,

"Sorry about Tilly, her mum was in Australia visiting family and her dad is off on a business trip and all the siblings are at uni so it was she came or we stayed."

"It's fine." Sabina kissed him lightly, "Alex,"

"I see them too." He murmured then felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, a quick glance at the screen told him it was Ben, "A little late my friend." He murmured quoting something Ian used to always say.

"Into the park, lots of area space, if we go around the back we can escape any civilians," Sabina stated,

"It also has a back way out, don't let them know you have seen them." Alex agreed, they headed to the park as Alex answered the phone,

"_Al, thank god."_ Ben breathed down the line as soon as possible,

"So, now would be a bad time to say, not now then?" Alex stated,

"_There are theoretically forty of them, maybe less if k unit put up a fight_."

"So, there are forty of them." Alex stated, on the other side of the line Ben agreed,

"_Backup is coming and know your position and the trackers will work, don't-"_

"Got to go." Alex hung up and threw the phone at one of the assailants. It hit him on the temple and he dropped like a stone, Alex and Sabina each pulled their weapons and started firing, never to kill just to render unconscious or unable to fight, temples, legs, arms. Soon they came too close, safety in numbers, both teens holstered the weapons and sprung into action.

* * *

**Sorry about the slight cliffy, but it's one to me as well; Should they get caught and again, should Sabina die?**


	7. The apt analogies and grenadine

**Only a short one by enjoy!**

* * *

Waking up from unconsciousness is never nice, especially with a pounding headache. Chris groaned and attempted to sit up, gentle hands helped him upright,

"Hey slowly now, that's quite a bump from the fall." Snakes voice said quietly. He sat up and leant against the wall. It was cold and damp. The room was roughly five metres square with no windows and a door with a slot in, made of metal.

The SAS unit were slowly sitting up and rubbing bruises, over in the corner another figure stirred,

"Snake." Chris nodded at the figure leaving his head pounding, Snake left the teens administrations and slowly made his way to the corner,

"Hello?" He called feeling stupid,

"Hey stalkers." a girls voice said from the corner,

'Excuse me?" Wolf growled. Snake's eyes were just adjusting to the light in the cell corner,

"Its the girl." The medic gasped, watching as she held her nose and breathed out, like you would when you popped your ears from altitude.

"Hit the lights someone." She murmured,

"We're in a cell sweetheart, there isn't a light switch." Eagle scorned, the girl pulled herself to her feet and felt her way around the walls and found the door, she reached up as high as she could and felt a string, she pulled it and a dim light flickered on.

"I know moron, and never call me sweetheart again. Understand?" She returned to her corner and the figure all of them had yet to notice.

"You must be the medic Snake, the ass hole Wolf," She pointed at the two who had spoken so far, "Annoying brat Chris Butler, hyper on sugar Eagle and undecided Cheetah."

"And you are?" Cheetah asked everyone else speechless by the naming.

"Sabina Pleasure." She smiled grimly,

"I'm not an annoying brat!" Chris finally exclaimed,

"Well I thought annoying, arrogant, egotistical, self centred, no on cares for me attitude, ass hole of a teen Chris Butler was a little long." Sabina replied instantly, Cheetah chuckled low.

"Now now Sab, play nice." An amused voice said from next to her,

"Al, from what you've told me I think that analogy was very apt." Sabina replied, How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck." Alex replied,

"And you know what being hit by a truck feels like do you?" Chris scorned, two people looked at him their expressions relaying one thought: 'Of course."

"You?" Alex checked performing the strange ear popping gesture Sabina had,

"An explosion." She replied, "And yes, I know what that feels like too." She snapped at Chris,

"Istanbul explosion? Mozambique explosion?" Alex queried, Sabina though about it,

"Perth explosion." She replied.

"I'm starting to see why you two get on so well." Cheetah muttered, two smirks met his comment,

"If you're so experienced and amazing why don't you get us out of here?" Chris muttered,

"I'm trying to." Alex replied,

"Really." Eagle sounded doubtful.

"How so? At the moment you're sitting on the floor and was still asleep not five minutes ago." Snake was getting irritable.

"Forgive me for sleeping having been injected with a knock-out drug." Alex muttered, "The door is locked, there are no windows so no way out that way, the lock is only on the outside but if we were to get an arm through the hatch we should be able to pick it. The corridor outside is guarded by one guard and the main rooms at either end hold fourteen each sleeping. As for if we actually escaped... Being locked in a concrete bunker in southern Russia isn't a good start." Alex stated,

"Southern Russia?" Cheetah checked used to Alex spouting these things from selection.

"Its too cold for Siberia and too warm for northern Russia. The Guards are all locals and speak Russian, but the southern dialect. SCORPIA has bases all over Russia but this is the only on that fits the bill." Sabina continued.

"How did you know that?!" Wolf demanded,

"I listen and observe. The echoes in the corridor tell me all I need to know about the guards and the voices tell me about the country." Alex stated flatly,

There was a scrape of metal on metal, then the door swung open, a guard holding a gun walked in. Then stopped in shock.

"You should be sleeping!" He gasped in Russian gaping at Alex,

"Well I've never been one that liked being drugged into unconsciousness." Alex shrugged,

"You should be sleeping for three days! Not three hours!" A second guard had come in and was now speaking English, albeit with a strong Russian accent.

"You with me." The first snapped at Alex. When he didn't move the guards stormed in and grabbed him by the arm, Alex snatched it free and shrugged off his jumper,

"Rider, you don't need to strip." Chris muttered, Alex threw the jumper at him,

"I saw you shivering." He stated as a means of an explanation. Sabina reached up and squeezed his hand once then let go as Alex was pulled roughly from the room. The teen watched him go eyes sad and full of anger.

"What did he mean, Rider shouldn't be awake." Wolf growled at Sabina,

"I guess he was given a stronger drug on account of hi being him." She ran a hand through her hair then took a deep breath. Then swore loudly in French.

"Turn it down, pounding headache here." Chris muttered.

"Where have they taken him?" Cheetah asked rubbing his temples,

"Grab your nose and try to blow through it." She told him. Cheetah looked at her strangely then did what she said, he had queried what Alex told him to do many times and it had always helped his state, he assumed Sabina was the same. Three seconds later he sighed,

"Bliss." He smiled slightly,

"What?!" Eagle demanded,

"Headache's gone." Cheetah explained, the other four copied what he had just done then smiled.

"Why?" Snake asked curious medical side kicking in,

"The pounding in your head is matched by the lack of oxygen the act of blowing pointlessly through your nose leaves you in. They cancel each other out and the headache goes away. For more technical terms ask Alex. He's better at that stuff than me." Sabina replied, then slid down the wall with a sigh. "If he comes back."

"He'll be back, he's more resilient than most." Cheetah reassured her,

"He's a moron though." Chris commented,

"Why?" Sabina demanded,

"Had he not taunted them he would still be sitting here and not going through what he surely is now. He should have stayed quiet. Then we all should have been fine." Chris explained a resounding 'duh' in his voice. Sabina looked at him with a disgusted look then settled down to wait without deigning him with a response. Chris smiled smugly, "I'm right."

Sabina's hands curled into fists in the attempt not to punch him.

* * *

"Where is he." Ben hissed at Jones through a video link to the bank. Jones wrung her hands nervously,

"We don't know." She replied slowly.

"Then find out." Ben replied and cut the connection. He resumed pacing the room fuming with anger. Three days had passed since Alex, Sabina, k unit and Chris had vanished off the planet and no one within MI6, CIA, ASIS or Interpol had any idea where he was.

Ben groaned then sighed knowing he would have to go to measures he didn't want to to save Alex and k unit. And the arrogant moron Chris. Even he didn't deserve what was happening to them. His phone buzzed and he glanced at he screen.

'Town Plaza, Greene, 2pm. Y'

'Little bloody psychic.' Ben muttered then ran to the car, Greene was half an hour away by car and it was nearly 1:30. He spent the entire car journey worrying about Alex. And his ex SAS unit, by mainly Alex and Sabina, if something happened to her he doubted Alex would ever be the same again. It had taken says to get him to be the same again after the deaths of the Pleasures and when Ben himself had gone missing briefly Alex had hardly left his side.

Ben doubted Alex could take any more blows to his losses. He was strong on the outside but Ben knew better, he was just a child.

Ben parked his car and slid out he walked to the centre of the Plaza admiring the fountain and spotted a man hardly ever spotted, his hair was now dark brown and he had a slight tan, on the table in front of him was a grenadine, the syrupy drink Ben teased Alex for always ordering when on the continent, he nodded to the man who nodded back, Ben headed to the table as another red drink was placed in front of him.

'I thought a drink may calm you down, worked wonders on me, Alex taught me that, and his father.' The Russian accent that came through when he spoke passionately was hardly detectable.  
'Thank you. What can you tell me about where Alex is?' Ben asked, the man's eyes hardened and his face darkened, he looked like the man Ben had come to fear when shown a picture of him or noticed a shadow at the corner of his eye. It was am unmistakeable resemblance now. In front of him was none other than Yassen Gregorovich.

* * *

**Yeah... He's alive...**  
**I was not in a great mood when he died, always was one of the best characters.**

**I need ideas on where to go, how much k unit should find out and final votes on Sabina's life, I won't tell you who is winning yet just that the tides have turned drastically in the past two chapters, I must be doing something different to Anthony Horowitz because before she appeared in my story you all wanted her dead, now they have seen my version of her you want her alive. Mostly. It's almost even.**


	8. Level three and the doctors sorry

**Enjoy! Don't hate me at the end.**

* * *

'Shut the fucking hell up.' Wolf growled menacingly not opening his eyes,

'Wolf, you woke me up.' Grumbled Eagle turning over forgetting momentarily where he was and falling on top of Chris from the tiny cot that was the one substitute bed in the cell.

'Hey!' Chris exclaimed waking up. 'George I'm not playing with you OK!' He muttered then rolled over and remembered where he was,

'Sorry kid. I forgot where I was too.' Eagle apologised, there was a muttering the the corner than a hiss of pain. Snake gasped and shuffled over to the sound thinking Sabina may need a medic for some reason,

'Go back to sleep.' She murmured as Snake neared she glared at him and shook her head,

'Rider!' Snake exclaimed waking the other occupants of the cell fully.

'He's back.' Wolf grumbled relief seeping through despite the attempts to stop it.

'How are you?' Snake demanded moving so the light could reach the boy,

'Grumpy, I was sleeping until Wolf woke me up.' Alex replied in a rough voice,

'How long have you been back?' He asked interrupting Wolf's biting response.

'About and hour, didn't want to wake you.' He replied shifting then hissing in pain again.

'Moron.' Chris muttered,

'He's the moron is he?' Sabina snapped,

'Yes, the comments mean they have had him before, if he was stupid enough to get caught twice... He can't be MI6's top agent, its not possible.' He snorted,

'Really. Are you aware of the reasons he has been kidnapped both times?' A new voice commented, one Alex, unfortunately, knew well.

'Gregori, don't.' Alex warned.

'You're covering for the boy. Why?' Gregori demanded,

'What happened wasn't his fault.' Alex muttered,

'He messed up, you paid the consequences.' Gregori drawled. "You paid dearly for the consequences didn't you? He even saw what was happening to you. I mean-" Alex snapped something in another language causing Gregori to pause and smirk at him,

"Someone's linguistics have improved." He taunted back in English,

"Well, I had a good teacher." Alex replied flatly,

"Who? Couldn't be a parent. Couldn't be an uncle or relative. Couldn't be a non biological parent. Couldn't be a guardian. Of course the first three people could have taught you, but you never saw them enough." Gregori stated smiling menacingly,

"Gee, wonder why that was." Alex replied snarky.

"Now now, no lip. Alexander, or we will have to teach you the rules again. You shouldn't come after us so much."

"Well, some of it was self inflicted." Alex shot back,

"Really, how was you meddling with us 'self inflicted'?" Gregori growled,

"I was shot by you, ended up in hospital, then with the Drevin's and Ark angel. When that fell down, literally, I ended up in Australia, then the issues with the Snakeheads and Royal Blue. That was with you again, had you not shot me I would not have performed any of the consequential missions and you would quite happily be revelling in the back lash of a tsunami." Alex replied shrugging. Gregori back handed him. Hard. Alex probed his lip and felt blood,

"Thanks." Alex muttered,

"What was that?" Gregori smirked,

"He said you are a self centred, obnoxious, grumpy old man." Sabina replied, "Who is also a sadist."

"I see there is only one way to shut you up. The last one to speak gets taken." Gregori stated flatly. Alex and Sabina's mouth's clammed up, Gregori paced the cell, "You are inconsequential, you don't factor in this." He nodded at the SAS and Chris. "No matter how hard you try to say quiet, you will speak." Another figure appeared at the cell door,

"I am thinking that the one who gets taken today will have level three." Dr Three announced, Alex bit his lip so hard it bled to keep from gasping in surprise. A small gasp made it's way though Sabina's lips.

"YES! Rider it is!" Gregori crowed.

"No! You can't do level three on him!" Sabina exclaimed jumping up then being knocked back down with concussion from the but of a gun, Alex fought his captors and knelt at her side checking her pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lets go." They grabbed his arms and pulled him up, then Gregori pulled up his gun and shot Sabina.

"NO!" Alex yelled and fought his captors. One against seven guards was never going to work but he fought none the less.

"Hold his arm." Dr Three ordered pulling a surgical looking instrument out of his pocket. He clamped it around Alex's arm and tightened it. They all heard a duo of snaps that was his bones breaking. Alex went white with pain, then Dr Three grabbed his arm, not a sound made it past Alex's lips.

"You always were a silent one." He commented off hand and wrote a note in a book, "Come." The guards grabbed Alex's body and man handled him along the corridor,

"The door." Sabina gasped as Snake tended her wounds, "It's not locked."

"Don't be silly, they surely wouldn't do that." Wolf muttered, but tried the door. It opened. Chris was staring at Sabina in shock,

"Wasn't expecting that." A murmur came from the doorway, they spun around to see two figures in black,

"Fox!" Snake gasped as the second figure picked up Sabina,

"About bloody time Yasha, been here two weeks. And you too Ben. What time do you call this?" Sabina teased weakly, "They have Alex. They took him not seconds before you came." Ben slipped his arms around Sabina and took the weight off Yassen,

"Go, if I go anger will get the better of me." Ben told him, he nodded once and was out the room, mouth set in a firm line. "Wolf take point, left, left, left, then rights all the way." Fox nodded and took the gun proffered then ducked out the cell,

"Alex." Sabina murmured,

"We'll get him kiddo, we'll get him. Chris come on." Ben nodded reassuringly at him, "She'll be fine." Chris was finally grabbed by Cheetah who picked him up then left the room. At the first corner Chris was back on the ground having snapped out of his shock.

Within minutes they were standing on frost covered ground with the concrete base behind them and trees all around.

"Fox." A voice murmured, "Here." He turned to see Yassen crouched in the trees twenty metres from the base, in his arms was Alex. Ben released a breath he hadn't known he was holding. They crouched and ran to the cover of the trees then Yassen led the way to the vehicle they had come in. Snake was about to check Alex's wounds when an explosion tore through the night.

"Pyromaniac at heart." Someone muttered. Yassen smiled to himself,

"Always Alex, always have been and always will be." The occupants of the car glanced at Alex just as he lost consciousness.

"No, stay with me!" Snake exclaimed ripping open his medical bag and wiping the blood off his chest, he worked methodically and efficiently, Ben helping where he could. The rest were staring at Alex looking rather green. When his front had been bandaged enough Snake went to turn him over,

"Snake." Fox murmured,

"What?" He was eager to continue and save Alex's life,

"Brace yourself." They turned him and wiped the blood away. It pooled back so fast Snake and Ben didn't bother cleaning it, they just bandaged it to stop the bleeding,

"How far Cossack?" Ben called,

"Five minutes." A Russian accent was slipping into his voice, Ben pretended not to notice. Seemingly an hour later the van screeched to a stop and the door was opened, Eagle burst out and ran for the tree line, Chris not far behind, and threw up in them.

"Sorry, can't help but think what he went through." Wolf had calming hands rubbing both their backs, Yassen had vanished and Ben had gone inside with Snake taking both Sabina and Alex with them.

"Let's go get checked up." Wolf led them gently inside where doctors and nurses were waiting.

* * *

"You can go back to St Dominic's in London if you want, you are clear to travel." Ben walked in looking like he had aged years in days.

"No." Five voices replied. The SAS were stubborn when they needed to be.

"I said that was probably what you would say. There is no change in either of them though." Ben ran a hand through his hair,

"Can we go see them?" Chris ventured, Ben nodded once. They headed to the twin room where Ben had spent most of his time over the past two weeks. After being patched up officially they had been flown to an American hospital for better resources. It was St Peters, where Ben had recovered from a bullet wound two years ago. They walked in and Ben smiled sadly at the figure by Alex's bed.

"Hey Ben, good walk?" Tamara Knight asked,

"Had better, any change?"

"No. This your old SAS unit?" She asked nodding at the ones who had just entered the room,

"Snake, Wolf, Eagle and Cheetah. That's Chris, Alex's little charge." Ben introduced them, "This is Tamara Knight."

"Al's Cheetah?" She checked,

"Yes ma'am." Cheetah sighed forgetting k unit didn't know.

"What?" Wolf was shocked,

"He is Jaguar." Cheetah replied guiltily.

"_The_ Jaguar?" Eagle squeaked, "The one sir barks at us about, the impossibly good Jaguar?"

"Yeah, and now would be a good time to say he is Cub as well." Cheetah muttered. This was met with silence,

"Uh, who is Cub?" Chris asked,

"Him." Eagle gaped at Alex. "But Cub was older than that! It's been like three years!"

"One, we have been through this, Cub was fourteen. Two, yes it's been three years. He grew up and improved. And you didn't even recognise him." Ben sounded mildly ashamed of his ex unit.

"Whoa." A new voice gasped, "He is _seventeen_."

"Hey Drew. And yes, he is." Ben sat on an empty chair, Andrew Orwell sat next to Tamara and took her hand,

"You never told me he was fourteen when you worked with him." Drew murmured,

"I didn't know. I mean yes everyone has heard about the infamous Alex Rider, but nothing else. Even Joe couldn't get his file for me."

"You should have asked him." Ben laughed lightly,

"And of course he would just hand over a top secret file." Wolf commented,

"Cheetah, you trained with him through selection, would Jaguar just hand over a top secret file breaking all rules of protocol?" Ben asked amused,

"If he thought you had a right to know, yes." He replied sighing, "No respect for rules."

"So why didn't he tell us about him?!" Snake was confused,

"He didn't think you had a right to know." Drew guessed, Ben nodded. An alarm sounded and three doctors and four nurses burst in, pushing Sabina's bed gently but efficiently to the side to keep it out the way.

"Out, all of you." The first doctor ordered, Alex's heart rate was slowing and his blood pressure was dropping rapidly. The door was slammed in their faces. Ben started pacing, Tamara was hugging Drew tightly who was watching Ben like a hawk. The five others were in shock.

Every now and again new doctors appeared faces grave. Through the window to the room Ben watched them reach for the defibrillator pads and shock him. The line that was his heart beat jumped then stayed flat, two figures ran towards him, Ben recognised one and was shocked, It was Yassen. The girl he was with he didn't recognise. Ben wasn't surprised he knew about Alex's state. He was just surprised the assassin hadn't been here earlier.

Through the window they saw the heart rate stay flat and the doctors glanced the the clock. You could see their lips moving but Tamara was sobbing grasping Drew and Ben had slid down the wall tears slowly sliding from his eyes, he felt numb. Sure Alex had been close to death many times but never dead.

He felt more than saw Yassen slide down next to him, equally as numb. No tears fell from his eyes. The woman he had been with was in shock. She was looking at the figure on the bed then gasped, the door opened and a sombre doctor came out.

"I'm sorry..."

* * *

**OK, I will update asap, but I need to go to a driving lesson.**


	9. The competition over who knows Alex best

**Sorry, I couldn't get any inspiration for this story, so much that I wrote a new story in between my last post and now, another Alex Rider one. That helped clear my head of any useless ideas so hope this is good... Enjoy! :D**

* * *

"What-" Wolf gasped eyes burning with un-shed tears,

"We seem to have missed something in the operation so we are taking him back in. He is stable, for the moment." The doctor stated his face still sombre,

"You mean he's alive." Yassen asked quietly,

"Yes. He has the luck of the devil that one." A nurse stated taking the place of the doctor.

"Heard that before." Yassen said with a low chuckle, Ben laughed, partly from the statement, partly from the situation, partly from the relief that Alex was going to be OK.

"We will update you on any changes when he is out." The nurse flicked through her clipboard,

"How long do you think his surgery will be?" Cheetah demanded,

"We don't know how much we missed so it will all be dependant on that." The nurse looked up, "If that is all I shall be going." She left without giving them a chance to reply.

"You had better start explaining." Wolf growled to Ben,

"Keep me updated." Yassen murmured then vanished along with his friend.

"Wait for Alex, it's his story to tell." Ben sighed and lay on the now vacant bed,

"Sleep. You look exhausted." Tamara told him gently

* * *

"Now." Wolf shut the door and leant on it, the other three SAS men standing next to him and crossing their arms.

"Start talking." He growled, "I don't care which one, but one of you had better start giving me a bloody good explanation."

"I don't know much." Tamara started slowly,

"He was secretive, didn't trust easily." Ben added, Drew snorted, the four SAS men looked at him curiously, the man shrugged,

"I didn't know him well, I can quite safely say I don't think anyone does. But from what I saw its not that he didn't trust easily, it's that he didn't trust." Drew explained,

"That's what comes from having experiences with '6 from an early age." A female voice put in. The voice was rough as though someone had been asleep for a while.

"Sabina!" Ben exclaimed in relief. He hugged her gently,

"How is he?" She asked trying to sit up, Ben and Tamara assisted her the best they could.

"Medically induced coma, how do you feel?" Tamara replied watching the machines carefully.

"Like I have been shot." She replied wryly.

"Back to Rider." Wolf growled,

"Cub." Eagle put in,

"Jaguar." Cheetah added.

"The boy in the bed over there. Happy?" Wolf sounded snarky.

"Back what he was saying, he doesn't trust because of '6, all their fault." Sabina made a face,

"Who knows him best?" Eagle asked,

"Not me I don't think." A new voice said, Eagle jumped with a squeal having not heard him approach,

"Some one has been spending too much time around Al." Ben smirked, "Hey Tom, Alice." The two entered the room followed by a small figure,

"Alex!" She exclaimed running to his bed before sitting on the edge and glancing at her sister, "Do the old rules still apply?"

"Yes I'm afraid." Alice ruffled her hair.

"You always sit there when he's like this." Tilly said staring at Ben, "Who are you?" She asked Tamara and Drew.

"Tamara and Drew, you must be Tilly. Alex has told me all about you." Tamara smiled at her, "You must be Tom and Alice, Alex has also told me all about you Tom. Briefly Alice but I haven't seen him much since you got together."

"He talks about me?" Tom asked confused,

"All the time when I ask him about home." Tamara shrugged, Drew was nodding,

"At first I was confused as to why he didn't talk about his family, then Tam told me." Drew stated,

"Why?" Snake asked alarmed, three other men looked equally as confused,

"Wow, he has been keeping secrets." Sabina laughed lightly.

"Who knows him best, then that person can start talking." Wolf announced,

"Maybe before, but now there's too much behind the OSA and I am spending so much time revising." Tom stated with a shrug, "Before he was fifteen I could tell you most things, then he went to live with Sabina, then after they... after that he clammed up." Tom continued. "I'd also say Jack but same issue." He ran a hand through his hair,

"He told me some things but... He was only going to tell the minimum amount of people and he felt he had put me through enough without that burden. Moron. No matter how much I tried he wouldn't tell me." Sabina frowned upset,

"I can't tell you much." Tamara sighed, everyone turned to Ben,

"Well..." Ben shrugged,

"If you are fighting over who knows me the best Ben wins, but only because he drugged me, sat on me and used physical torture." Alex's voice was sore and weary, smiles spread and Tilly bounced up the bed to hug him,

"TILLY!" Alice exclaimed, she spun around,

"What? You said I couldn't sit on him until he was awake! He is awake!" She pouted, Sabina laughed,

"She's got you there." Alex chuckled, Tilly nodded knowingly,

"Yes. Move." She ordered, Sabina laughed,

"You got told." Sabina smirked as Alex shuffled over, thankfully the three year old was not too big, she snuggled into him then promptly went to sleep.

"Jet lag." Alice laughed,

"So, physical torture?" Snake raised an eyebrow pointedly,

"Hardly." Ben snorted,

"Oh, I don't know." Alex tutted. "Tickling is very threatening." He said with a perfectly straight face. Ben shrugged unconcerned.

"It worked didn't it?"

"Drugged?" Tamara had picked up on that as well.

"Pain killers. He hates any form of drugs. You can't get him within three miles of a hospital without you needing one yourself, unless, of course, he is no longer conscious." Ben replied rolling his eyes,

"I for one don't know what I'd do without you incapacitating yourself once every few months." Sabina laughed,

"Nothing worse than the quiet life with no one in ICU due to people shooting at you. What would we do without our bullet-magnet?" Ben agreed nodding,

"Hey, that's not fair. Sometimes it's knives, or even bombs." Alex exclaimed fighting a smile,

"He has a point." Sabina agreed solemnly,

"You know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit." Tom laughed perching on the edge of Sabina's bed, Alex frowned in confusion,

"I thought that was funny pictures of kittens from the internet," He replied,

"OK, that's the lowest form of wit but just above that is sarcasm," Alice replied,

"At least its on the spectrum." Sabina commented,

"OUT! All of you!" A nurse exclaimed shocked, "They need rest!" She didn't falter at the glares she received,

"Can't we keep a few!" Sabina begged.

"Makes us sound like frivolous toys." Tom muttered, the nurse frowned, then caved,

"One." She finally decided on.

"Ben." Sabina and Alex said in unison, then Sabina glanced at Tilly sleeping soundly in Alex's embrace, be it an embrace where the person you were snuggled against had more bandage than skin,

"One and a half?" She asked, the nurse sighed then nodded once curtly.

"Fine. Rest of you out I'll get the doctor tell him you're awake." She shooed them out,

"That shows you how much we're loved." Tom muttered playfully. Then turned and slipped past the nurse,

"How much can we tell them?" He murmured,

"Could you go for a walk and avoid them instead? Book a hotel if you have plans for staying on MI6's card." Alex asked quietly, "I want to censor what I can tell them. I'll text you when meeting time is back on." Alex asked, Tom nodded slightly relieved,

"Now I don't have to worry about letting anything slip." He clapped Alex on the shoulder then paled as he hissed in pain and paled. "Sorry." He exclaimed,

"Fine." Alex managed to say, biting his lip Tom was led out the room by the doctor.

"Can I get rid of the IV drip?" Alex asked as soon as Tom was gone,

"That includes pain killers and vitamins." The doctor replied performing all his usual checks.

"Is that a yes..." Alex asked slowly,

"I had hoped it would stay in longer this time." He frowned, then sighed. "If you really don't want it it can be out tomorrow. But let us do it, if you do it I shall be sewing it into your arm." Sabina laughed at that.

"I suppose you want yours out as well miss Pleasure." He grumbled,

"Not yet. I like painkillers." She replied, the doctor smiled,

"Mr Rider, this is how patients should act. Trust me I'm a doctor." He smirked, Alex had teased him that he should say that more often when Ben had been in here and Alex the last time. St Peters was the US equivalent to St Dominic's. The doctor fiddled with their IV drips and both teens felt themselves slowly slide into unconsciousness. The Doctor watched then nodded satisfied with himself then looked to Ben,

"Sleeping pills? You look like you have been to hell and back." He asked kindly,

"Please doc." Ben smiled gratefully.

"I know you won't leave, but at least sleep on the sofa." He indicated the sofa k unit had been sitting on earlier.

"Thanks." He watched the doctor leave the room and return a few minutes later with two pillows and a hospital duvet.

"From the number of times you have been here, and I sure you will be back, the linen cupboard is down the hall on the right. Pills, water, sleep well. Don't wake them." The door shut, Ben smiled fondly at the two teen and toddler then curled up. Within minutes he too was asleep.

* * *

**Please review and tell me what you think... And where it should go...**


	10. New trainers - ie mud monsters

**I really had no idea where to go, so with a small time skip, which I shall address in parts later, here is the next part...**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

"Dear _lord _Al, I hate you more than you could realise now." Sabina Pleasure hissed through her teeth collapsing on her SAS bunk, her three other recruit unit members double took when the saw a man lounging against the wall then blushed,

"Kite, why does your unbelievably hot..." Hawk waited expectantly,

"What shall we substitute in there Alex? Brother? Boyfriend? Loath enemy for you not talking me out of this?" Sabina asked,

"The last one is not my fault, as you rightly said, I would have had to talk you out of this therefore it was your idea." Alex grinned triumphantly,

"I'm going for a shower." Hawk announced deciding to leave the conversation before she got too confused,

"Me too." The other three exclaimed,

"I'd say make yourself at home but..." Sabina eyed him already lounging on her bed reading a book, "It's a little belated." She smirked. The four of them headed out.

"He's hot Kite." Jay the group tactician teased shouldering her friend,

"Tell me you are not dating." Otter the group medic asked,

"Why so you can date him?" Sabina laughed as the two of them looked at her and rolled their eyes,

"Duh." They sighed in unison,

"What's up with you lot." Albatross from another recruit group called,

"Just thinking about Kite's _dreamy_ boyfriend in our hut." Otter grinned back laughing as every woman in the shower spun round to face Sabina who was blushing a deep, dark red.

"Thanks Otter." She muttered.

"Any time Kite, any time." Kite showered fast and was soon out the shower block her unit following closely. She spotted a man heading towards her,

"Two in one day. My my our Kite has been keeping secrets." Jay taunted then exclaimed as she was hit over the head.

"Hey Ben!" Sabina called,

"Hey, you seen Al?" Ben asked as he neared. The other recruits were all staring at the sight of two men who weren't their teachers and actually good looking in their camp.

"Making himself at home." She pointed to their hut, Ben chuckled,

"Of course he is. How's training?" He asked fighting a smirk, Sabina threw a towel at him, "Alex! You're girlfriend is abusing me!" He called as they neared the hut, Alex appeared laughing,

"And I am sure you deserve it. What's up?" He asked as they headed back to the hut,

"Aside from the ceiling?" Ben replied, Jay laughed the comment appealing to her sense of humour,

"She should meet Eagle." Alex commented,

"NO!" Sabina and Ben exclaimed violently shaking their heads,

"No way, they would destroy Brecon!" Ben continued,

"And you have such fond memories of your time here?" Alex raised an eyebrow laughing as they all sighed 'God no' rippling around the hut.

"Scoot." Sabina kicked Alex who was lying on her bunk.

"Nope." He popped on the 'p'. Sabina shrugged and sat on him, Ben grinned then laughed as Alex tickled her,

"Now now children." He scolded the seriousness taken out of the statement by the glint in his eyes, "What would Sarge say if he saw you?"

"He would say to cut it out and come to my office." A strict voice barked, the six snapped to attention,

"Fox, Jaguar, nice to see you back again. Here to train or to steal more of my... men and women?" He had to stop himself simply saying 'men'. "And aren't you in the wrong camp?"

"Yes sir, I came to collect Fox here, he got lost." Alex replied,

"HEY!" Ben exclaimed, "I don't know why we are here sir, it was an order we thought we had better follow. The orderer was not in a great mood."

"Ah, how is '6?" The Sargent asked,

"With all due respect sir, I don't think you give a damn about '6." Alex replied, the Sargent shocked the women by laughing,

"True, nice to see they haven't knocked the sarcasm out of you yet Jaguar, fourteen weeks here and you gave us a run for our money, I hate to see what you do to R&G." Two mischievous grins met his comment, "I don't think I _want_ to know." He amended, "I don't know why they put up with you." He sighed, "Must be something to do with you two being the top agents." He cocked an eyebrow, "Don't ask me how." He seemed to remember he was in full view of four very bewildered recruits. "My office in ten, we'll try to deduce why you're here." He ordered then stormed out,

"Did Sarge just laugh?" Otter sounded shocked.

"Come on we have to be at dinner in a few minutes." Hawk stated pushing them into action. They pulled on jumper and coats then three ran to the mess, Sabina hung back and Ben smiled,

"Meet you outside the Sargent's office." He left thinking about why they were here. They had been dragged into Jones' office and told, in curt, clipped words, to report to BB pronto. Ben had quickly lost Alex, but had known where to find him. He was still smiling to himself when a voice spoke by him making him jump.

"I can practically hear your thoughts. Stop it." Alex snapped no real malice in his tone. They knocked on the door and heard the gruff 'enter'.

"At ease." They relaxed minutely, "You don't know why you are here do you?"

"No sir." Ben replied dutifully,

"I just got off a perfectly timed phone call with '6. You apparently need to help train the recruits. We need a good collection of first women." The stated,

"We are to train them?" Alex checked, "In what?"

"What you are best at, both of you can shoot, teach them to vanish into the shadows, teach them to sneak up on people without hearing, help them with the assault course, in the last weeks teach the instinctive firing, improve them. The minute the pass selection we have a competition against the men." He looked at his desk, they recognised the dismissal, "Oh and the men they are up against are k unit and Robin." The door shut behind them, Ben turned to Alex and they high-fived.

"Jaguar!" The call came from through the door, Alex slipped back in, Ben waited patiently for Alex to emerge, he did so glum faced.

"No favouritism." He muttered,

"You seem upset." He commented,

"I can't tease her. I can't give her punishment duty." He frowned, Ben laughed at his unhappy face as they headed towards the assault course to look over the camp.

"Aww, is poor Cub throwing his toys out the toy box?" He teased, before he could comprehend what was happening Alex had hooked one foot around his ankle and Ben was falling backwards into the pool of frozen slime.

"You little-!"Ben exclaimed and hauled himself out and saw Alex corpsed on the floor tears coming out of his eyes,

"You look like a mud monster!" He gasped out, too weak with laughter to prevent him from doing so Ben picked up his adopted little brother and threw him into the middle of the pool of slime.

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**Please review and tell me where you think it should go... as you can tell by the length I am clueless...**


	11. Alex Rider - a freak of nature?

**OK sorry for the wait... ENJOY!**

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"_What about parents?" Wolf demanded a sinking feeling in his stomach,_

"_Dead. No rich daddy dumping me at Brecon Beacons because he was sick of me." Alex replied glaring at him,_

"_I mean seriously, what self respecting parent would send their child to an SAS camp." Sabina scorned, K unit fidgeted uncomfortably._

"_Family?" Cheetah tried,_

"_Dead." Alex was saved by Jones walking in. She stopped dead staring at Sabina,_

"_Ah." The girl in question stated,_

"_You're supposed to be dead." Jones stated flatly,_

"_Yes, I died in an explosion didn't I." Sabina stated,_

"_The same one Alex died in." Ben added,_

"_The same one that led to you not looking for him for three days until the DNA evidence proved that he hadn't been inside the house when it exploded." Sabina added, things were becoming clear to K unit, they now saw why she had been in France._

"_It would have come out soon, you are after all returning to the UK." Ben commented,_

"_How do you know that? I only told Alex." Sabina commented,_

"_I went to your house and found the letter, congrats, you'll have fun in soggy Brecon for fourteen weeks." Ben grinned,_

"_You're joining the SAS." Tom grinned, "Well done, Al told me they were getting a women's section and you did come to mind." _

"_They're getting a woman's branch." Chris hissed,_

"_Yes, I'm looking forward to it." Ben replied,_

"_I'm not." Sabina grumbled,_

"_Don't worry, it'll be worse than you're expecting." Cheetah laughed cheerfully._

"_Thanks." Sarcasm was thick in her tone._

"CHRIS!" Wolf barked hitting their youngest on the back of the head, the teen had the feeling this wasn't the first time his name had been called, "Christ you're not with it this morning."

"Sorry, I was thinking." He mumbled standing up,

"Thought it looked painful." Eagle teased,

"When are we going?" Chris asked yawning,

"In a few minutes," Snake informed him stretching,

"Apparently the girls have got some new trainers in, they have been there for three weeks now and they will be able to help us if we want them to." Cheetah announced,

"I hope we can beat them." Eagle muttered.

"We will." Chris announced certain,

"You saw Sabina Pleasure, if she's among them they have to be good, we can judge it when we see their teachers, if it's anyone like Jag and Fox we're royally screwed." Cheetah commented,

"They wouldn't be, they're MISO they can't train the SAS its wrong." Wolf shrugged.

"No family." Snake shook his head in disbelief,

"We teased him mercilessly about family and everything when he was here, he was fourteen on top of it all." Eagle sighed running a hand through his hair,

"You were fine, it was just me." Wolf still felt wretched about the whole situation.

"Lets go." Snake stood to get their minds off the problem shooing them out the door.

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"Chris!" The unit stopped to see Ben and Alex jogging towards them,

"Can we offer some advice?" Ben asked, "Having spent the past three weeks tormenting them we can pick up on weaknesses well."

"Sure, come to the hut." They led the way to their temporary hut and sat on the beds, Alex and Ben facing the others, Ben started with Wolf going through how to make his assault course time better then Alex helped Snake with the theory behind hand to hand, his worst area next to shooting. Ben talked to Eagle about the assault course as well and Alex advised Cheetah on how to best disarm an opponent.

Everything was fine, the advice accepted and nothing was taken the wrong way, until Chris.

"Your guard when you fight it too high, someone could easily hit you in the stomach and wind you or a correctly placed hit could dislocate a hit, if you lower your guard you will have better protection when you-"

"Why the hell are you always trying to protect me Rider! I can manage perfectly on my own." Chris snapped, ignoring Ben's 'I think we have proved you can't.' mutter Alex sighed and turned to leave,

"Don't take my advice then but-" Alex cut himself off remembering the last time someone didn't take his advice. Someone Chris' age.

"What's bothering you Cub?" Snake commented, the first of the unit to call him by his name, he didn't want to get at him, none of k unit did, but at the same time be was sick and tired of the bickering.

"Nothing." Alex growled,

"Probably sick of having somebody in his league who is younger than him. Used to being the only teen spy." Chris scoffed, K unit looked uncomfortable they had tried to stop the scornful remarks after hearing he was Cub, and sketchy details of what had happened to him. Ben stood at the same time as Alex stiffened. The entire hut could tell Chris had just crossed some line. Chris did as well but he had gone too far and knew he couldn't back down now. Or at least that is what his pride told him.

"Oh, did I hit gold? Or do you _want_ me to fail so you can keep your title as youngest super spy?" He taunted,

"Chris." Ben warned,

"Yes Chris. You 'hit gold'." Alex replied without turning. Everyone looked at him confused, noting the scorn in his voice. When he turned around they were surprised by the level of anger in his eyes, everyone barr Ben who knew exactly where this was going. "I am sick of being the only teen spy. In a way I want you to fail because then they would stop this lark, they would finally understand that I was in actual fact simply a freak of nature." Alex hissed,

"What?" Eagle asked, "They?"

"CIA, ASIS and of course MI6." Alex replied flatly, "If you fail they stop trying to recruit teenage spies."

"But we're the only ones." Chris replied amused,

"Yes. That's the problem. It started with me. ASIS has had two and the CIA three." Alex still sounded angry but not so angry he couldn't speak any more.

"Had?" Cheetah picked out the key word.

"Jackson Walker was fifteen and was shot in a drugs bust in Miami two weeks after his training finished. ASIS." Alex stated,

"Alison How was fourteen and drowned in a ship wreck in the Indian Ocean six weeks after his training finished. CIA." Ben continued.

"George Kiln was fifteen and died in a fire in Italy nine weeks after his training finished. CIA." Alex sighed,

"Harry Kiln his twin died in that fire as well. CIA." Ben added,

"Lastly," Alex's voice caught in his throat, "Lastly Jennifer Hall. ASIS." He turned to Chris, "So yes, I want you to fail so you can go back to your family and live a life like you should. You still have a family, you should make the most of it, they're not always there, of course, when every single one of your family members doesn't work for '6 I am sure the life expectancies are much longer, I wouldn't know." He turned to go,

"Alex," It was the first time one of them had used his first name, he half turned back to see Wolf looking nervous, "What happened to the last one, Jennifer Hall?"

"She was sixteen. She was shot." Alex reached the door,

"Al, it wasn't-" Ben started,

"It was." Alex was gone. Ben sat on the cot head in his hands, the only thing Alex needed right now was space.

"It wasn't what?" Snake asked sitting down pale,

"His fault." Ben sighed, everyone gaped at him,

"He blames himself." Eagle repeated, Chris was looking a little sick.

"Yes, each and every one of them. He met them all, tried to teach them, help them. They all said no believing themselves above the English kid." Ben rubbed his eyes, "They were all either the same age or older than him and resultantly thought themselves above him, they were arrogant, and that arrogance got them killed."

"He thinks I am going to die." Chris choked out,

"No, he thinks you are arrogant and your arrogance is going to put you in danger, it already put him in captivity for months." Ben corrected,

"He blames me." Chris guessed,

"God no, if he did that would be better, he blames himself. As always he blames himself. Alexander had amazing judgement in most things, apart from where to place blame. For him it is always on himself." Ben sighed,

"Who was Jennifer? She was more important than the rest? A girlfriend?" Snake asked curious, Ben laughed humourlessly,

"God no, it was only ever Sabina for him, still is." He smiled slightly, "Jennifer was... more like a sister. She wasn't arrogant, accepted that Alex had had more experience in this and took his word as law, she understood that it wasn't a game, unlike the others. They laughed and joked and did three missions together, then on Jenny's fourth she was with two other CIA members, both Alex and Jenny would have preferred them to be ASIS, Jenny's own as it was, but the CIA insisted, they needed a girl. Alex was worried as both times he has posed as a child to CIA parents it has back fired and gone wrong, Jenny was worried because she didn't trust the CIA."

"What happened?" Wolf asked when it became clear he had stopped,

"The male CIA agent turned out to be SCORPIA and shot both the female agent and Jenny, not after she had warned the CIA. She lasted nearly a year out of training." Ben stated,

"How long ago?" Chris asked, "How long before he was told to look after me?"

"We attended her funeral and were taken to the bank on the way home. We were tasked with tailing you to make sure everything went OK. Seven months after that you were kidnapped and you know the rest of that. Seven months." Ben replied,

"So, let me get this straight." Chris' eyes were blazing, "He went to her _funeral_ was then tasked with babysitting me which resulted into him spending seven months kidnapped then in the hospital was told he was going to babysit me yet again and all I did was make his life hell like the others." Chris was furious,

"We all made his life hell and we all owe him our lives." Cheetah grumbled.

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**That really didn't go where I thought it would... Please REVIEW! **


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